Jews Talk Racial Justice - Ep 70: New Year's Resolutions: Why so many of them “fail”
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QUICK EPISODE OVERVIEW
It’s the first week of January and April and Tracie are thinking about resolutions. We delve into willpower, habits, and mindset, and discuss the role of American individualism in the culture of New Year’s Resolutions. Ultimately, we look for a better way to change our habits–and stop beating ourselves up with flawed systems.
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DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Do you typically make New Year’s resolutions? If not, why not? And if yes, how have they worked out in the past?
Tracie realizes that we often are taught to think that buying a specific product will enable you to meet a goal. Do you or have you ever agreed with this? How, in your opinion, does today's culture of consumerism play a role in how we create or try to fulfill our goals?
April and Tracie believe that willpower is a small piece of the puzzle when it comes to following through with New Year's resolutions. Do you agree? What is your relationship with your own willpower?
Do you generally have a growth mindset or a fixed mindset (or something in between)? When in your experience have you had more or a fixed mindset or a growth mindset? What about when it comes to racial justice?
When it comes to setting resolutions or goals, April asks herself, “Do I really want this?” How does this resonate with you? What would change if you asked this more often or oriented yourself more towards questions like this?
Tracie brings up the self-talk that we often engage in that’s full of “shoulds” and “oughts.” Is this the case for you? What effect does this kind of self talk (or even suggestions from others with this tone) have on you?
April explains that she learned a lot about herself when it comes to resolutions and figuring out what she wants about in college. Was there a particularly profound time or stage in your life when you had a big breakthrough that fundamentally shaped how you view yourself and the world today?
When it comes to setting goals or intending to change something in your life, what is leading? Your heart or your mind?
How have you managed to change habits in the past? What has been successful for you or for others in your life?
INSIGHTS FROM THIS EPISODE
“I have this sense that if I buy the right thing, then I’ll be able to fulfill the goal.”
“Most people in this rugged individualism narrative that our habit energy is mammoth, like an elephant. It is enormous. It is changeable, but it takes time and specific skills in order to start to move the elephant in a different direction. Brute force is never going to work with an animal, and it’s never going to work with our habit energy.”
COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS?
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