Thursday, March 28, 2024

Legal Talk Texas: New Year, New You

The turn of the calendar offers everyone an opportunity to reflect on their decisions in the prior year and to make resolutions for the year to come.

Drop a few pounds, switch careers, or maybe master a language or an instrument – whatever the resolution, our odds of completing it are not great. Researchers at the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University found that only about 9% of people who make a resolution keep one.

They offer several reasons why: lack of accountability, goals that are too large and should be split into more achievable chunks, or the resolution is a matter of tradition and not an urgent need.

According to Forbes, most resolutions only last about 3.74 months. Interestingly, action-based goals are 12% more likely to be successful in a year than avoidance-based goals. Instead of swearing off chocolate, promise to go to the gym three or four times a week and to eat a balanced diet of vegetables, healthy fats, and proteins.

A Stanford professor suggests micro-goals, such as one push-up per day or practicing an instrument for only 30 seconds each day. This helps establish habits which can be used as a foundation for further development rather than an abrupt and aggressive change in behavior which is harder to sustain.

A lot of people don’t have estate planning documents, or haven’t updated theirs in some time. A resolution to either draft a will or update an existing will is much easier to achieve than becoming a polyglot or musical prodigy, and will help those around you as much as it helps yourself. Experienced attorneys at Hammerle Finley can help you accomplish such a resolution.

Bryce Griffin is an attorney at Hammerle Finley Law Firm, a boutique law firm offering services in estate planning, probate, guardianship, business law, litigation, and real estate. Contact him at (972) 436-9300. This article does not constitute legal advice.

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CTG Staff
CTG Staff
The Cross Timbers Gazette News Department

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