How to Stick with Your Health Goals, by Personality Type

Well, readers, it’s that time of year again – time for the whole #newyearnewyou thing. For the next few weeks, every last treadmill at the gym will be full. People at my neighborhood diner will order Caesar salads instead of cheesesteaks. The grocery store might even run out of kale.

And then, by February or March, most people will slip back into their old health and wellness habits – if we even last that long. January 17 has become known as “Ditch Your Resolutions Day,” because supposedly, that’s the date by which most of us fall off the resolution bandwagon. For many of us, that isn’t necessarily a bad thing – after all, one can only eat so much kale.

But what if you really, really, really want to stick to your health resolutions? Maybe you’re working toward a big goal, such as running a marathon. Or maybe you’re just trying to feel happier and more energetic, and you want to improve your eating habits, activity level, or sleep schedule in order to do so.

Good news: knowing your personality type can help you stick to your health goals. Here’s how.

Analysts: Know the Why

Analyst personality types: Architects (INTJ), Logicians (INTP), Commanders (ENTJ), Debaters (ENTP)

For an Analyst, the least motivating words in the world are “because I said so.” These personality types don’t take anything at face value – and that includes health and wellness advice. So, if you try to tell an Analyst that sweet potatoes are a superfood or that the best way to increase core strength is to do planks, you’d better come backed up with proof.

This desire to think critically is among Analysts’ greatest strengths. It can save them from falling prey to fads – and goodness knows that the health and wellness world contains more than enough fads. (Laxative teas masquerading as weight loss aids, anyone?)

But if Analyst personalities take their skepticism too far, they can talk themselves out of not only faddish supplements and bad advice, but also the positive changes that they’d like to make. For example, Analysts might constantly ask themselves, Does it really matter if I skip this workout? or, Does it really matter if I have fries for dinner tonight?

The truth is that one skipped workout or unbalanced meal probably doesn’t matter. But if you keep thinking that way day after day, you’re at risk of reinforcing old habits rather than making healthy changes.

To do: Research the heck out of the changes you’d like to make – whether that’s the longevity benefits of eating a well-rounded diet or the effect of lifting weights on bone density. Keep those statistics handy for when your motivation needs a boost.

Bonus points: If someone approaches you with irresponsible or faddish advice, do the research to set them straight on that too.

Diplomats: Feel the Joy

Diplomat personality types: Advocates (INFJ), Mediators (INFP), Protagonists (ENFJ), Campaigners (ENFP)

Diplomats tend to be exquisitely attuned to feelings – both their own and other people’s. This sensitivity can be a double-edged sword when it comes to sticking with health and wellness goals.

On the one hand, it means that the standard “power through it” advice doesn’t tend to work well for these personality types. Sure, they might be able to force their way through one miserable workout or a day of restrictive eating. But if these things feel truly awful, then Diplomats will have trouble maintaining motivation.

It also means that Diplomats may have trouble bouncing back from negative experiences. Alas, uncomfortable moments happen to everyone, and we all fall off the resolution bandwagon at one time or another. If Diplomat personalities don’t remember their intrinsic motivation, they may be tempted to give up in the face of such difficult experiences.

Fortunately, Diplomats’ sensitivity can work in their favor – as long as they cultivate positive feelings or emotional states with respect to their health goals. For example, they might put on beautiful, inspiring music while they exercise, or they could invite a loved one over while they cook a healthful meal. By creating positive feelings, these experiences help Diplomats connect with the intrinsic motivation behind their health goals – which, in most cases, is to feel good on a deep level.

To do: Revamp the environment in which you pursue your health goals. Ensure that it’s beautiful, uplifting, and friendly. This might mean sprucing up the room in your home where you exercise, or it might mean that you invite a trusted friend along when your resolutions need a boost.

Bonus points: Pause for a moment and notice how joy feels in your body. Do you feel warmth in your chest or lightness in your step? Aim to cultivate this feeling when you’re pursuing good-for-you activities.

Sentinels: Be the Example

Sentinel personality types: Logisticians (ISTJ), Defenders (ISFJ), Executives (ESTJ), Consuls (ESFJ)

Sentinels seem to have an advantage when it comes to setting and sticking with resolutions. More than half of these personalities say they’ve managed to maintain a New Year’s resolution indefinitely, such as quitting smoking or exercising regularly.

But even Sentinels have room to grow when it comes to meeting their health goals. These personality types tend to have a strong sense of duty, and in times of stress, this can lead them to deprioritize their health. For example, a Sentinel in a demanding job environment might work late instead of leaving to go to the gym. They know that they feel best when they exercise, but they find it difficult to put that need first when there’s work to be done – and people counting on them.

Fortunately, weaknesses can often be turned into strengths – and Sentinels’ sense of duty can be exactly what helps them prioritize their health goals. Many Sentinels care a great deal about the example they set for others. By remembering that their healthy habits can inspire those around them, Sentinel personalities can find the boost of motivation they need to stick to their resolutions – even in stressful or busy times.

To do: Pay attention to the example you set for others. Chances are that you already do this to some extent, but pay special attention to this with respect to your health habits. In moments when you’re tempted to deprioritize your health, pause and ask yourself: Am I taking care of my body and mind in the way I’d want my loved ones to take care of themselves?

Bonus points: Ask a friend or loved one to be an accountability partner. Even if you don’t feel as if you need accountability, you might find it motivating to know that someone else is paying attention to the example you set.

Explorers: Break the Rules

Explorer personality types: Virtuosos (ISTP), Adventurers (ISFP), Entrepreneurs (ESTP), Entertainers (ESFP)

Nearly half of Explorers say they’re suspicious of people who always follow the rules. And that might be one reason why Explorer personality types are less likely than any other Role group to say they take great care to sustain a healthy lifestyle. After all, when people talk about a “healthy lifestyle,” they’re often talking about a set of rules: rules about what to eat, when to sleep, and how to move.

Fortunately, few aspects of a healthy lifestyle are actually written in stone. For example, a way of eating that feels great for one person might make another person tired and miserable. And a form of exercise that your best friend loves might literally make you want to puke.

This means that you need to find health habits that work for you. And to do that, you might need to break some rules. Explorers can use this rule-breaking as motivation for their healthy habits. For example, they could break the rule of “you have to run to be fit” by getting really, really into weightlifting, yoga, swimming, or any other form of movement.

The upside? This willingness to go against conventional wisdom can help Explorer personalities find habits that work for them.

To do: Frame your health resolutions by thinking about the rules they break. For example, if you want to do a marathon, but you’ve never run a race before, you might decide to break the so-called rule that your first race should be a 5K. Or, if you want to try ballet but you don’t think you look like a ballerina, you might decide to defy conventional thinking on what ballerinas “should” look like. Then, whenever you feel your motivation flagging, remind yourself of the rule you’re going against and remember how very much you want to break it.

Bonus points: Okay, here’s one rule you’ll actually want to follow – check in with your doctor before making changes to your diet, exercise regimen, or other health habits. Trust us – it’s worth it.

“This Is the Year I Finally…”

So, readers, did you make any health resolutions this year? Or are there any healthy habits you’d like to establish? Tell us all about them in the comments.