Who says you have to wait until the new year to make a resolution or change in habits?The latest social media trend on TikTok and Instagram, dubbed the “Great Lock In,” kicked off September 1 and is all about finishing out the year strong by becoming laser-focused on a personal goal now.That goal could be financial, health-related, a possible big move or something else entirely.And if tightening up your fitness or wellness regime before the holidays is on your to-do list, experts say it’s not too late to start.The phrase Great Lock In is a nod to Gen Z slang, which uses the term “lock in” or “locked in” to indicate certainty or commitment to whatever the cause may be.For Hannah M. Le, 27, seeing the trend go viral on TikTok was the impetus for deciding to increase her cardio and strength training goals for the rest of the year. The founder of Buckle Scrunchies who lives in New York City said she started her Great Lock In on September 8 with a goal of adding more reps to her strength training routine every week as well as increasing her pace on runs.Le said she’s never been fond of adhering to rules but has so far found the Great Lock In useful in meeting her goals.”What’s helping me with the Great Lock In is my friends who are either joining me or interested in hearing more about my journey,” she said. “I consider them to be my accountability partners, and I tell them my workout schedule throughout the week as a commitment device.”Locking inThe trend’s social component is a big part of what’s driving people to try the Great Lock In, said Katy Milkman, the James G. Dinan Professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and author of “How to Change: The Science of Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.”People sometimes need a bit of extra motivation to get focused when it comes to kick-starting healthy habits, said Milkman, who is partnering with CNN on a 30-day wellness challenge that gives readers the option to participate in a daily quiz to gather research about such habits.”‘Everybody else is doing it’ is one of the most motivating ways to get people to change their behavior,” Milkman said. “They look around and say, ‘It’s a trend, I don’t want to miss out.’”New Year’s resolutions work in the same way as the Great Lock In. Both motivate people with a temporal marker, she added, but motivation on its own is not enough to meet goals.”When you have a goal, you can’t just be like, ‘I’m going do it. There it is, and then I’ll push myself through,’” she said.Research shows it’s much more effective if you use different strategies that have been proven to work. “Everything from breaking down big goals into component parts, having someone else who you’re pursuing your goals with in tandem and finding ways to make it fun to pursue your goals so that you enjoy the process instead of dreading it,” Milkman said.Le has a tactic she said works for her — putting less pressure on herself to make her goals and reminding herself instead of why it’s important to do so.”I tell myself, ‘I don’t have to do anything, but I get to do everything,’” she said. “Getting stronger and faster is a way for me to continue doing the activities I want to do for the rest of my life, especially as ski season comes around.”There’s no time like nowOne of the good things about the Great Lock In, wellness speaker Mona Sharma said, is that it’s a way for people to commit that feels very personalized.”We’ve had a really volatile few years, and people want agency and structures that they can do at home,” Sharma said. “And a three- to four-month window feels really, really doable and motivating, instead of the pressure of January.”Cooler weather this time of year combined with people naturally spending more time at home might also help serve as motivation to reach a goal, she said.”The Great Lock In is about turning that natural slowdown into a season of, really, self-investment,” Sharma said.People who will have success with the Great Lock In will focus on the value of what they’re doing, Sharma said, rather than obsessing over things such as numbers on a scale.But she warned that the Great Lock In should be approached with an air of caution — especially for those who are under stress or tend to be hypervigilant, as it might be an opportunity to hide behind being busy instead of feeling balanced.”If you’re somebody who’s already living in isolation, somebody who has so many all-or-nothing rules, somebody who’s living with chronic anxiety, who’s already not sleeping well, somebody who’s going to step into this mode of doing … that could be also a great setback,” she said.People attempting the Great Lock In should focus on what makes their goals enjoyable so they’re not dreading the process, Milkman said. And they should also take advice that arrives via social media with a healthy dose of skepticism.”Try to actually look for some of the evidence-based strategies that help people achieve success, as opposed to just whatever person pops up on your TikTok feed and what they’re saying,” she said. “Most of that is one person’s advice based on their life experience, rather than scientifically validated.”And while the social media challenge might have started September 1, it’s never too late to try the Great Lock In — or try making any change, for that matter — if you think it could help you reach your goals.Just be sure you’re being realistic about them, Milkman said.”Make sure it’s a reasonable, bite-sized, daily or weekly goal that sums up to an outcome you’ll be proud of,” she said. “There’s plenty of time to do all sorts of wonderful things, and it’s good to use the motivation of whatever trends pop up, because often we need a little extra push to motivate ourselves to make a change.”
Who says you have to wait until the new year to make a resolution or change in habits?
The latest social media trend on TikTok and Instagram, dubbed the “Great Lock In,” kicked off September 1 and is all about finishing out the year strong by becoming laser-focused on a personal goal now.
That goal could be financial, health-related, a possible big move or something else entirely.
And if tightening up your fitness or wellness regime before the holidays is on your to-do list, experts say it’s not too late to start.
The phrase Great Lock In is a nod to Gen Z slang, which uses the term “lock in” or “locked in” to indicate certainty or commitment to whatever the cause may be.
For Hannah M. Le, 27, seeing the trend go viral on TikTok was the impetus for deciding to increase her cardio and strength training goals for the rest of the year. The founder of Buckle Scrunchies who lives in New York City said she started her Great Lock In on September 8 with a goal of adding more reps to her strength training routine every week as well as increasing her pace on runs.
Le said she’s never been fond of adhering to rules but has so far found the Great Lock In useful in meeting her goals.
“What’s helping me with the Great Lock In is my friends who are either joining me or interested in hearing more about my journey,” she said. “I consider them to be my accountability partners, and I tell them my workout schedule throughout the week as a commitment device.”
Locking in
The trend’s social component is a big part of what’s driving people to try the Great Lock In, said Katy Milkman, the James G. Dinan Professor at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and author of “How to Change: The Science of Getting From Where You Are to Where You Want to Be.”
People sometimes need a bit of extra motivation to get focused when it comes to kick-starting healthy habits, said Milkman, who is partnering with CNN on a 30-day wellness challenge that gives readers the option to participate in a daily quiz to gather research about such habits.
“‘Everybody else is doing it’ is one of the most motivating ways to get people to change their behavior,” Milkman said. “They look around and say, ‘It’s a trend, I don’t want to miss out.’”
New Year’s resolutions work in the same way as the Great Lock In. Both motivate people with a temporal marker, she added, but motivation on its own is not enough to meet goals.
“When you have a goal, you can’t just be like, ‘I’m going do it. There it is, and then I’ll push myself through,’” she said.
Research shows it’s much more effective if you use different strategies that have been proven to work. “Everything from breaking down big goals into component parts, having someone else who you’re pursuing your goals with in tandem and finding ways to make it fun to pursue your goals so that you enjoy the process instead of dreading it,” Milkman said.
Le has a tactic she said works for her — putting less pressure on herself to make her goals and reminding herself instead of why it’s important to do so.
“I tell myself, ‘I don’t have to do anything, but I get to do everything,’” she said. “Getting stronger and faster is a way for me to continue doing the activities I want to do for the rest of my life, especially as ski season comes around.”
There’s no time like now
One of the good things about the Great Lock In, wellness speaker Mona Sharma said, is that it’s a way for people to commit that feels very personalized.
“We’ve had a really volatile few years, and people want agency and structures that they can do at home,” Sharma said. “And a three- to four-month window feels really, really doable and motivating, instead of the pressure of January.”
Cooler weather this time of year combined with people naturally spending more time at home might also help serve as motivation to reach a goal, she said.
“The Great Lock In is about turning that natural slowdown into a season of, really, self-investment,” Sharma said.
People who will have success with the Great Lock In will focus on the value of what they’re doing, Sharma said, rather than obsessing over things such as numbers on a scale.
But she warned that the Great Lock In should be approached with an air of caution — especially for those who are under stress or tend to be hypervigilant, as it might be an opportunity to hide behind being busy instead of feeling balanced.
“If you’re somebody who’s already living in isolation, somebody who has so many all-or-nothing rules, somebody who’s living with chronic anxiety, who’s already not sleeping well, somebody who’s going to step into this mode of doing … that could be also a great setback,” she said.
People attempting the Great Lock In should focus on what makes their goals enjoyable so they’re not dreading the process, Milkman said. And they should also take advice that arrives via social media with a healthy dose of skepticism.
“Try to actually look for some of the evidence-based strategies that help people achieve success, as opposed to just whatever person pops up on your TikTok feed and what they’re saying,” she said. “Most of that is one person’s advice based on their life experience, rather than scientifically validated.”
And while the social media challenge might have started September 1, it’s never too late to try the Great Lock In — or try making any change, for that matter — if you think it could help you reach your goals.
Just be sure you’re being realistic about them, Milkman said.
“Make sure it’s a reasonable, bite-sized, daily or weekly goal that sums up to an outcome you’ll be proud of,” she said. “There’s plenty of time to do all sorts of wonderful things, and it’s good to use the motivation of whatever trends pop up, because often we need a little extra push to motivate ourselves to make a change.”
