Self-control|NNP ,|, Self-efficacy|NNP ,|, and|CC New|NNP Year|NNP 's|POS Resolutions|NNP Unresolved|NNP I|PRP 'm|VBP not|RB one|CD to|TO make|VB New|NNP Year|NNP 's|POS resolutions|NNS .|. 

I|PRP mean|VBP ,|, sure|JJ ,|, I|PRP could|MD take|VB my|PRP$ pick|NN of|IN popular|JJ New|NNP Year|NNP 's|POS resolutions|NNS ;|: I|PRP could|MD decide|VB ,|, on|IN the|DT first|JJ day|NN of|IN the|DT new|JJ year|NN ,|, that|IN this|DT year|NN ,|, I|PRP 'll|MD start|VB exercising|VBG more|JJR and|CC eating|VBG better|JJR ,|, or|CC that|IN I|PRP 'll|MD spend|VB more|JJR time|NN with|IN my|PRP$ family|NN and|CC friends|NNS ,|, or|CC that|IN I|PRP 'll|MD learn|VB a|DT new|JJ skill|NN .|. 
And|CC if|IN I|PRP chose|VBD to|TO make|VB resolutions|NNS ,|, I|PRP 'd|MD be|VB far|RB from|IN alone--a|JJ 2008|CD survey|NN on|IN Dorthy|NNP .|. com|NN found|VBD that|IN 66|CD %|NN of|IN the|DT 2000|CD +|NN adults|NNS polled|VBN had|VBD made|VBN resolutions|NNS at|IN some|DT point|NN (|( though|IN only|RB 17|CD %|NN managed|VBN to|TO keep|VB them|PRP )|) .|. 

Making|VBG resolutions|NNS :|: It|PRP 's|VBZ about|IN self-control|NN 
The|DT question|NN Anirban|NNP Mukhopadhyay|NNP of|IN the|DT Hong|NNP Kong|NNP University|NNP and|CC Gita|NNP Venkatarmani|NNP Johar|NNP of|IN the|DT Graduate|NNP School|NNP of|IN Business|NNP at|IN Columbia|NNP University|NNP asked|VBD is|VBZ this|DT :|: What|WP determines|VBZ how|WRB many|JJ goals|NNS a|DT person|NN will|MD set|VB ,|, and|CC how|WRB successful|JJ a|DT person|NN will|MD be|VB at|IN achieving|VBG those|DT goals|NNS ?|. 
They|PRP performed|VBD a|DT few|JJ studies|NNS in|IN 2005|CD to|TO look|VB at|IN the|DT relationship|NN between|IN self-control|NN ,|, goal|NN setting|NN ,|, and|CC goal|NN achievement|NN .|. 
They|PRP suggested|VBD that|IN what|WP you|PRP believe|VBP about|IN self-control|NN affects|VBZ the|DT goals|NNS you|PRP set|VBD and|CC achieve|VB [|NN PDF|NNP ]|NN .|. 

In|IN the|DT paper|NN ,|, "|'' self-control|NN "|'' is|VBZ used|VBN to|TO mean|VB a|DT sense|NN of|IN willpower|NN .|. 
Mukhopadhyay|NNP &|CC Venkatarmani|NNP discuss|VBP various|JJ lay|VB theories|NNS of|IN self-control|NN ,|, noting|VBG that|IN the|DT amount|NN of|IN self-control|NN a|DT person|NN has|VBZ can|MD be|VB seen|VBN as|IN either|DT an|DT inherently|RB limited|JJ or|CC unlimited|JJ resource|NN ,|, and|CC that|IN this|DT resource|NN can|MD be|VB seen|VBN either|CC as|IN malleable|JJ or|CC as|IN fixed|VBN (|( the|DT amount|NN of|IN self-control|NN a|DT person|NN has|VBZ can|MD change|VB over|IN time|NN ,|, or|CC not|RB )|) .|. 
An|DT important|JJ premise|NN to|TO note|VB here|RB is|VBZ the|DT idea|NN that|IN the|DT probability|NN of|IN choosing|VBG a|DT goal|NN or|CC making|VBG a|DT resolution|NN increases|NNS if|IN a|DT person|NN thinks|VBZ that|DT goal|NN can|MD be|VB attained|VBN .|. 
So|RB if|IN you|PRP think|VBP you|PRP 'll|MD be|VB able|JJ to|TO achieve|VB a|DT goal|NN ,|, you|PRP 're|VBP more|RBR likely|JJ to|TO set|VB it|PRP .|. 
Combine|NNP this|DT with|IN theories|NNS of|IN self-control|NN ,|, and|CC in|IN general|JJ ,|, if|IN you|PRP believe|VBP you|PRP have|VBP unlimited|JJ stores|NNS of|IN self-control|NN ,|, you|PRP 'll|MD set|VB a|DT larger|JJR number|NN of|IN goals|NNS .|. 
If|IN you|PRP believe|VBP self-control|NN is|VBZ malleable|JJ but|CC limited|JJ ,|, you|PRP 'll|MD set|VB fewer|JJR goals|NNS .|. 

Mukhopadhyay|NNP &|CC Venkatarmani|NNP also|RB discuss|VBP self-efficacy|JJ :|: belief|NN in|IN one|CD 's|POS capabilities|NNS ,|, the|DT perceived|JJ ability|NN to|TO carry|VB out|RP a|DT desired|JJ action|NN .|. 
They|PRP propose|VBP that|IN people|NNS with|IN high|JJ self-efficacy--people|JJ who|WP believe|VBP that|DT failure|NN is|VBZ the|DT result|NN of|IN insufficient|JJ effort|NN ,|, and|CC thus|RB exhibit|VB increased|VBD commitment|NN and|CC persistence--will|JJ achieve|VB more|JJR of|IN their|PRP$ goals|NNS than|IN people|NNS with|IN low|JJ self-efficacy|JJ ,|, who|WP tend|VBP to|TO view|VB failure|NN as|IN the|DT result|NN of|IN deficient|NN ability|NN ,|, and|CC thus|RB may|MD simply|RB give|VB up|RP .|. 

The|DT studies|NNS 
In|IN the|DT first|JJ study|NN ,|, 85|CD participants|NNS (|( all|DT college|NN students|NNS )|) each|DT read|NN one|CD of|IN four|CD passages|NNS presenting|VBG lay|VB theories|NNS of|IN self-control|NN .|. 
Each|DT passage|NN contained|VBD two|CD paragraphs|NNS ;|: the|DT first|JJ discussed|VBN self-control|NN either|CC as|IN limited|JJ or|CC as|IN unlimited|JJ ,|, and|CC the|DT second|RB discussed|VBN self-control|NN as|IN either|DT malleable|JJ or|CC fixed|VBN .|. 
The|DT participants|NNS then|RB answered|VBN questions|NNS about|IN their|PRP$ belief|NN in|IN each|DT of|IN two|CD theories|NNS presented|VBN ,|, followed|VBN by|IN a|DT second|JJ questionnaire|NN to|TO assess|VB motivation|NN ,|, in|IN which|WDT they|PRP listed|VBD all|DT their|PRP$ current|JJ goals|NNS .|. 

The|DT study|NN was|VBD testing|VBG whether|IN a|DT belief|NN in|IN unlimited|JJ ,|, malleable|JJ self-control|NN would|MD result|VB in|IN most|JJS resolutions|NNS ,|, and|CC indeed|RB ,|, this|DT is|VBZ what|WP was|VBD found|VBN .|. 
The|DT experimenters|NNS had|VBD some|DT concerns|NNS about|IN participants|NNS '|POS natural|JJ beliefs|NNS in|IN relation|NN to|TO the|DT passages|NNS they|PRP read|VBP ,|, however|RB ,|, so|RB in|IN study|NN two|CD ,|, the|DT order|NN of|IN the|DT two|CD measures|NNS (|( lay|VB theories|NNS and|CC motivation|NN /|NN goal|NN listing|NN )|) was|VBD varied|VBN .|. 
Data|NNS from|IN 130|CD new|JJ participants|NNS revealed|VBD that|IN ,|, as|IN hypothesized|VBN ,|, if|IN the|DT motivation|NN &|CC goals|NNS questionnaire|NN were|VBD assessed|VBN first|JJ ,|, then|RB among|IN the|DT people|NNS who|WP believed|VBD self-control|NN is|VBZ malleable|JJ ,|, those|DT who|WP also|RB believed|VBN self-control|NN to|TO be|VB unlimited|JJ (|( vs.|NN 
limited|JJ )|) set|VBN more|JJR goals|NNS .|. 
When|WRB lay|VB theories|NNS were|VBD assessed|VBN first|JJ ,|, this|DT result|NN reversed|VBD .|. 
The|DT people|NNS who|WP believed|VBD that|DT self-control|NN is|VBZ fixed|VBN were|VBD unaffected|JJ by|IN order|NN .|. 

The|DT third|JJ study|NN moved|VBD on|IN to|TO examine|VB goal|NN achievement|NN ,|, adding|VBG a|DT measure|NN to|TO look|VB at|IN self-efficacy|JJ .|. 
The|DT study|NN had|VBD two|CD sessions|NNS ,|, in|IN November|NNP then|RB February|NNP .|. 
In|IN the|DT first|JJ session|NN ,|, the|DT 159|CD participants|NNS read|VBP passages|NNS about|IN lay|VB theories|NNS (|( much|JJ like|IN in|IN study|NN one|CD ,|, but|CC with|IN longer|JJR passages|NNS to|TO strengthen|VB the|DT manipulation|NN )|) ,|, listed|VBD the|DT resolutions|NNS they|PRP were|VBD planning|VBG on|IN making|VBG at|IN New|NNP Years|NNPS ,|, rated|VBN how|WRB disappointed|VBN they|PRP would|MD be|VB if|IN they|PRP failed|VBD to|TO keep|VB their|PRP$ resolutions|NNS ,|, and|CC filled|VBD out|IN individual|JJ difference|NN measures|NNS (|( which|WDT included|VBD a|DT self-efficacy|JJ scale|NN )|) .|. 
Only|RB 86|CD participants|NNS successfully|RB returned|VBD for|IN the|DT second|JJ session|NN ,|, during|IN which|WDT they|PRP indicated|VBD how|WRB much|RB success|NN they|PRP had|VBD had|VBN at|IN keeping|VBG their|PRP$ resolutions|NNS .|. 

What|WP does|VBZ this|DT mean|NN for|IN your|PRP$ resolutions|NNS ?|. 
The|DT resolutions|NNS made|VBN by|IN participants|NNS across|IN all|DT conditions|NNS were|VBD qualitatively|RB similar|JJ (|( take|VB a|DT look|NN at|IN any|DT list|NN of|IN popular|JJ New|NNP Year|NNP 's|POS resolutions|NNS ,|, and|CC you|PRP 'll|MD see|VB the|DT majority|NN of|IN the|DT goals|NNS )|) .|. 
As|IN shown|VBN in|IN the|DT first|JJ two|CD studies|NNS ,|, more|JJR goals|NNS were|VBD set|VBN by|IN people|NNS who|WP believe|VBP self-control|NN is|VBZ unlimited|JJ and|CC malleable|JJ than|IN by|IN any|DT other|JJ people--that|JJ is|VBZ ,|, if|IN you|PRP expect|VBP more|JJR success|NN ,|, you|PRP may|MD increase|VB the|DT difficulty|NN and|CC number|NN of|IN tasks|NNS that|IN you|PRP set|VBD for|IN yourself|PRP .|. 
Self-efficacy|NNP did|VBD not|RB have|VB a|DT significant|JJ effect|NN on|IN goal-setting|JJ .|. 

As|RB far|RB as|IN success|NN goes|VBZ ,|, only|RB the|DT interaction|NN between|IN lay|VB theory|NN and|CC self-efficacy|JJ was|VBD significant|JJ .|. 
If|IN participants|NNS believed|VBN in|IN limited|JJ self-control|NN and|CC were|VBD low|JJ in|IN self-efficacy|JJ ,|, they|PRP tended|VBD to|TO give|VB up|RP more|RBR often|RB ,|, failing|VBG to|TO achieve|VB their|PRP$ goals|NNS .|. 
But|CC if|IN participants|NNS believed|VBN in|IN unlimited|JJ self-control|NN ,|, self-efficacy|JJ had|VBD no|DT effect|NN ;|: participants|NNS achieved|VBN just|RB as|IN many|JJ goals|NNS regardless|RB ,|, and|CC people|NNS who|WP set|VBD more|JJR resolutions|NNS were|VBD marginally|RB more|RBR likely|JJ to|TO succeed|VB .|. 

Mukhopadhyay|NNP &|CC Venkatarmani|NNP realize|VBP that|IN their|PRP$ research|NN does|VBZ not|RB directly|RB look|VB at|IN the|DT relationship|NN between|IN lay|VB theories|NNS of|IN self-control|NN and|CC beliefs|NNS about|IN one|CD 's|POS own|JJ amount|NN of|IN self-control|NN and|CC self-efficacy|JJ ,|, and|CC propose|VB this|DT as|IN an|DT area|NN for|IN future|JJ study|NN .|. 
But|CC in|IN general|JJ ,|, lay|VB theories|NNS about|IN self-control|NN can|MD determine|VB how|WRB much|JJ success|NN you|PRP 'll|MD expect|VB (|( and|CC thus|RB ,|, how|WRB many|JJ goals|NNS you|PRP 'll|MD set|VB )|) ,|, and|CC self-efficacy|JJ beliefs|NNS can|MD determine|VB how|WRB much|JJ success|NN you|PRP 'll|MD actually|RB have|VB .|. 

References|NNP 

Mukhopadhyay|NNP ,|, A.|NN &|CC Johar|NNP ,|, G.V.|NN (|( 2005|CD )|) .|. 
Where|WRB There|EX Is|VBZ a|DT Will|NNP ,|, Is|VBZ There|EX a|DT Way|NN ?|. 
Effects|NNPS of|IN Lay|NNP Theories|NNP of|IN Self-|NNP Control|NNP on|IN Setting|VBG and|CC Keeping|VBG Resolutions|NNP .|. 
Journal|NNP of|IN Consumer|NNP Research|NNP ,|, 31|CD ,|, 779|CD -|: 786|CD [|NN PDF|NNP ]|NN 

