At the same time, many of these benefits can be flipped on their heads—such as when you’re relying on a partner to keep you motivated and they decide to stop going to the gym.
“They’re likely to make you want to stay home as well,” says Katherine Milkman, a University of Pennsylvania Wharton School professor, and the author of How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.
Another problem with being excited by a fresh start is that it’s hard to stay motivated months later when your new habit “no longer feels fresh or new,” says Milkman.
Regardless of what jumpstarts your motivation, Wood says it’s critical to take action as soon as you feel the desire because “you may only have a short window of opportunity to make decisions about what you want to do before your old habits get in the way.”
Milkman agrees, saying that moments of motivation are ideal times to put a plan in place to improve your likelihood of positive long-term results—even after your motivation wanes. “There’s nothing wrong with using a momentary fresh start as a springboard to set yourself up for longer-term change,” she says.