It's that time of year again when many people resolve to learn a new skill, give up something that's bad for them, or simply put more effort in at school. But do New Year's resolutions work? Research by British psychologist Richard Wiseman in 2007 has shown that 88 percent of all resolutions end in failure! Many continue to make the same resolutions year in and year out. So why are New Year's resolutions so hard to keep?
又來到一年的那時候了，許多人下定決心要學新的一技之長、放棄某樣對他們有害的事物，或僅是花更多心力在學業的時候。不過新年願望有用嗎？英國心理學家 Richard Wiseman 於 2007 年的研究顯示，百分之八十八的新年願望以失敗告終!許多人繼續年復一年地許下相同心願。那為什麼新年願望那麼難信守呢？
Our prefrontal cortex, a small area in the brain, is responsible for our willpower. The prefrontal cortex is pretty busy—it not only has to keep our New Year's resolutions on track, it also has to take charge of short-term memory, solving abstract problems, and keeping us focused. It's not a lack of discipline; it's your overworked brain being too busy.
我們的前額葉皮質，大腦中的一小個區塊，負責我們的意志力。前額葉皮質頗忙的－－它不僅要讓我們的新年願望順利進行，它還得負責短期記憶、解決抽象問題，還有讓我們保持專注。這並不是缺乏紀律；只是你過度使用的大腦太忙了。
In one experiment, several dozen undergraduates were divided into two groups. One group of students was given a two-digit number to remember while the other group had to memorize a seven-digit figure. They were then instructed to walk down a hall where they were each offered a snack of either a slice of chocolate cake or a bowl of fruit salad. The students with seven digits to remember were nearly twice as likely to choose the cake as students given two digits. The reason, according to researchers, is that those extra numbers took up valuable space in the brain; they were a cognitive load, making it that much harder to resist a dessert.
在一項實驗中，數打大學生被分成兩組。其中一組學生分配到一組兩位數字去記憶，而另一組則必須記一組七位數字的數據。他們接著被指引沿着走廊走，在那他們每人被提供一片巧克力蛋糕或一碗水果沙拉當點心。有七個數字要背的學生選蛋糕的可能性是分配到兩位數字學生的兩倍。原因，根據研究者表示，是那些額外的數字佔據大腦重要的空間；它們是認知負荷，使抗拒甜點變得困難許多。
So now we know what doesn't work when it comes to keeping those resolutions, let's take a look at what might help. Researchers suggest we think of willpower as a muscle that needs to be strengthened. They suggest that it might be possible to strengthen willpower by exercising it. In one experiment, they asked a group of students to improve their posture for two weeks, thereby practicing mental discipline in one area. The students showed a marked improvement on subsequent measures of self-control—at least when compared to a group that didn't work on posture control.
現在我們了解提到遵守新年決心時哪些是行不通的，就讓我們來看看什麼可能會有幫助。研究者建議我們將意志力想成需要強化的肌肉。他們建議，靠著運用意志力，有可能使意志力強化。在一項實驗中，他們要求一組學生改善自己的姿勢兩週，藉此實踐大腦一個區域內的心智訓練。那些學生們在後來自我控制的評量上顯示出有大幅進步－－至少在和一組沒有做控制姿勢訓練的人相比時。
If you concentrate on one thing at a time, this will strengthen your willpower in other areas. The key is to not overload your prefrontal cortex. Now that you've picked one resolution, make sure to break it down as far as you can to the simplest task possible. If your goal is to lose 15 kilograms this year, break it up into segments of half a kilogram per week, or two kilograms per month.
如果你一次專注在一件事上，這會強化你其它區域的意志力。關鍵是不要讓你的前額葉皮質超載。現在你已經挑了一個新年願望，確保你盡可能地將它分解成越簡單的任務越好。如果你的目標是今年減掉 15 公斤，將它拆成每週半公斤，或每個月兩公斤的一個個小部分。
Above all, don't use your resolutions as a stick to beat yourself with. Ditch the negative connotations, and instead focus on what those small changes will bring to your life in a positive way in the coming year. So what's your New Year's resolution? Leave a comment below and subscribe for more videos.
最重要的是，不要把你的新年願望當成痛打自己的棒子來使用。拋開負面聯想，相反地去專注在那些小改變在來年會以正面的方式帶給你什麼。那你的新年新希望是什麼呢？在下方留言，訂閱觀看更多影片。
- 「放棄、戒除」- Give Up
It's that time of year again when many people resolve to learn a new skill, give up something that's bad for them, or simply put more effort in at school.
又來到一年的那時候了，許多人下定決心要學新的一技之長、放棄某樣對他們有害的事物，或僅是花更多心力在學業的時候。 - 「年復一年」- Year In And Year Out
Many continue to make the same resolutions year in and year out.
許多人繼續年復一年地許下相同心願。 - 「管理、負責」- Take Charge Of
...it also has to take charge of short-term memory, solving abstract problems, and keeping us focused.
...它還得負責短期記憶、解決抽象問題，還有讓我們保持專注。 - 「佔據、佔去」- Take Up
The reason, according to researchers, is that those extra numbers took up valuable space in the brain...
原因，根據研究者表示，是那些額外的數字佔據大腦重要的空間... - 「依次、逐一、每次」- At A Time
If you concentrate on one thing at a time, this will strengthen your willpower in other areas.
如果你一次專注在一件事上，這會強化你其它區域的意志力。
