IntroductionIf your goal is to grow long hair you have to make a full commitment to the resolution. Studies have shown you're 10 times more likely to achieve your long hair growth goals when you make a long range plan and then commit completely to it. It takes approximately 3 months for a new behavior to become a habit. Your plan for achieving your long hair growth goal by mapping out all the potential obstacles you may face during your three month transition period. These obstacles might include a spontaneous desire to cut off all the length or to let your hairstylist convince you to chop of your tresses. Or maybe you will be seduced by an advertisement for a chemical treatment which could retard your hair growth plans. Long Hair Growth Resolution FactorsConsider the following long hair growth resolution factors: 1. Creating long hair growth goals which are too big or vague sets you up for disappointment and eventual failure. Except in unusual circumstances human hair grows at a rate of 1/2 inch a month. With proper nutrition, daily hydration and good long hair growing techniques you may expect to see 6+ inches of growth in one year. Setting up a goal of growing double the historical growth amount will guarantee your disappointment and failure. 2. Do a quick reality check on your goals. Will you really be willing to commit to eating hair friendly foods, take vitamins designed to encourage healthy hair growth, keep ends trimmed and follow long hair growing practices. If you seriously consider all the work and time you must commit are you still willing to stay with the project? 3. Be specific. Plan your hair growing goals in a practical manner. By being specific such as committing to drinking 64 ounces of water every day to hydrate your scalp and roots will move you closer to your ultimate goal. You can track your water consumption on a daily basis which will allow you to track and demonstrate progress. When people believe they're making progress towards a goal they tend to remain more committed.
Long Hair Growth Resolution ObstaclesConsider the following potential long hair growth obstacles 1. Go public with your long hair growth goals. Share your desire to grow your hair long with a like minded community or a few friends. Post your weekly progress on FB or Twitter. Going public creates accountability making it harder to simply back out or stop moving towards your goal. If you do stumble, no one will judge. Everyone make commitments to new goals and struggle. 2. Plan your tasks tied to your new goals one month at a time. Studies have shown that boredom and frustration sets in approximately 3 weeks after committing to a new goal. At the beginning of any plan there's always plenty of inspiration. At first the new goal was new and exciting so you were inspired to make time for it. Unfortunately inspiration wanes. Once the initial resolve starts to fade the emotions take over. If you have to depend every day on your feelings and emotions in order to follow through with your program, the risks of faltering increase. Schedule your goals a month in advance to make them easier to stick with. Another helpful action is to attach another activity to your new goal to make sure you incorporate it into your daily schedule and make it automatic. An example might be to plan a deep conditioning treatment every Sunday right after doing your daily skin or nail care maintenance. 3. Recognize and reward smaller successes. Progress often plateaus at the one month mark and it's easy to feel discouraged at that point. To help you track the smaller milestones you achieve, keep a daily journal. After each day give yourself some sort of nominal reward to reinforce your goals. To help you track important milestones along the way, use a journal. Self monitoring has been show to bolster resolve and keep you motivated by reminding you how far you've come. 4. Having a lapse of commitment is common. Whenever new patterns and behaviors are attempted it's common to have a lapse of commitment. Whether you're trying to grow long hair, commit to a new exercise program or stop smoking, lapses may occur. The key is how you handle the lapse. It's important to forgive yourself for your lapse, pick yourself up and start with a new commitment to continue. A lapse of commitment is often common when the action plan has not become properly integrated into your everyday life. Remember, it takes approximately 3 months for a new behavior to become a permanent habit. 5. Don't hesitate to ask for help. During a lapse it helps to have a friend, family member or coach whom you can confess your lapse to and ask for encouragement to return to your new action plan. Know when to ask for help. If you're struggling it's always best to have a support network already in place so you can confess your challenges and ask for help. 6. When things are going well, don't let down your guard. After the first two months as you incorporate your long hair growing plan into your daily life you may let your guard down about being consistent in following your goals. During this time you are most likely to falter. Don't relax. Continue to work your plan and victory will eventually be yours. SummaryStudies have shown that you're 10 times more likely to achieve your long hair growth goals when you make a long range plan and then commit completely to it. Remember to incorporate your long hair growing tasks into your daily life activities to a smooth transition. - Revised Publication Date: 01/03/12 | ||||||||||||||||||
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