Insights with Mohsin M. Siddique: So, if this is the year you want to improve your health, build mental resilience, transform your business, or even change careers, try following Tara Swart's suggestions for mastering your mind and keeping your resolutions: 1) Visualize your goals. Did you know your brain is programmed to regard any change in your usual habits as a threat? Visualization can be a helpful method for overriding this reaction. “By imagining an experience before it happens, you can make the new scenario seem more familiar to your brain,” says Swart. Researchers have also found that holding an image like this in your mind can have a longer-term effect on your behavior than simply writing out a list, because images follow different neural pathways than do language and conscious reasoning. Swart suggests creating an “action board” and focusing on images that act as a visual metaphor for the things you want to manifest. 2) Get specific. Review all the goals you've set and ask yourself whether you’ve given your brain a truly concrete target. “Rather than simply saying you will read or exercise more, tell yourself you'll read one new book every month or go to the gym three times a week.” By the same token, committing to multiple resolutions might seem more ambitious but can prove counterproductive. “When trying to change your habits, it's always better to focus your mental resources toward reinforcing just one new neural pathway needed to learn the new behavior.” 3) Rack up small wins on your way to the big one. “A gradual approach can help you overcome your brain’s natural built-in caution,” says Swart. Break your larger goal into smaller ones you can work toward daily. If you're aiming for a promotion, start by pushing yourself to be more outspoken or reading up on your industry. “Look for small ways to be constantly proactive and positive in your thinking as you move incrementally toward your larger objective. Your brain will get the momentum it needs, and you'll stay motivated for weeks and months to come.”