One of the biggest challenges many people face is following through on their goals. Since the new year recently began, and most people have made their New Year’s resolutions, I thought now would be the best time to cover this topic. In this article, I’m going to share with you a technique that I learned called urge surfing that will help you follow through on any goal you desire to achieve. At the end, I’ll discuss various scenarios in which college students can apply this technique to their lives.

About the Technique

This information that I’m about to share is cited from Dr. Alok Kanojia, MD MPH, a Harvard-educated psychiatrist, who shares his insights through his YouTube Channel, HealthyGamerGG. Click the link below if you’re interested in viewing his YouTube video covering this topic. 

The first thing we need to do is understand these two types of people: 

1. Disciplined – people who have the self-control to commit to a task or a routine, which leads them to success.
2. Undisciplined – people who rely on motivation to commit to a task or routine.

Many people fall into the second category. With any person that feels inspired to learn something new, such as learning an instrument, or changing something about themselves, such as eliminating sweets from their diet, their mind will get excited, and motivation will arise, which will let the person follow through on these goals during the short-term. Eventually, the mind will become bored of such activities, and people will try to use willpower to overcome their minds and get themselves to do the things they should do. 

There are two things we need to understand about the mind:

1. The mind is very curious and likes to engage with new things

Think about the last time you were excited about watching a new TV show or learning a new language. Your mind would get naturally excited about these things, resulting in a release of dopamine.

2. The mind develops tolerance to any level of stimuli.

When you put on a t-shirt, you feel the fabric against your skin, but after a few seconds, you forget about it. When you walk into a public restroom, it may smell bad, but after a few seconds, you get acclimated to the smell, and you don’t smell anything. This also happens with dopaminergic things. While eating a cake, the first few bites taste great, and it feels very satisfying. As you continue to take more bites, that feeling fades.

Now that we understand the mind, what should we do to ensure we follow through on the goals we set? The answer: Urge surfing. 

Urge surfing is a technique used in addiction psychiatry to help people withstand the cravings for substances they’re addicted to, such as alcohol, heroin, and cocaine. “Urge” represents the cravings that arise. Instead of using willpower to fight your mind to do what you should be doing, instead, you acknowledge the urges you’re having and surf on top of them. Do nothing and give it time. Eventually, the cravings that you’re having will subside. Your mind will get bored of the urge if you don’t give in. For example, say you’re on an airplane, and you wish to have a fresh slice of pizza. Well, most airlines don’t serve pizza, therefore you can’t have one. After a few minutes, your mind will stop craving pizza, and it will switch to something else. 

Here’s a secret you should know. Staying on task is not actually the difficult part. The real challenge is that your mind wants to switch to another activity. For example, you’re reading a book, and you’re having trouble focusing on the book. Perhaps this is because you would rather scroll on social media or text your friends. Notice the craving and don’t give in to it. No craving will last forever; in fact, there is not one single emotion, such as the joy of marriage or graduation or the grief of heartbreak, that lasts a lifetime.

Here are some things you should consider:

1. Your mind will convince you not to engage in urge surfing
2. You don’t have to start with the biggest craving

Scenarios Where College Students Can Apply Urge Surfing Resulting in Success

• When you’re writing an essay that you’re not particularly excited about and you would rather check your phone. Don’t check your phone. Just sit and do nothing. Your mind will become bored and would rather engage in a tedious activity than no activity. You’ll return to your homework. Procrastination will decrease, last-minute stress will decrease, and you’ll result in having better academic performance.
• When you’re in the dining hall, you see the dessert rack, and you have a craving for cookies or ice cream. Do not grab the dessert. Just acknowledge that you have the craving, and as soon as you leave the dining hall, you’ll forget about it.
• When you’re jogging on the treadmill, for instance, interval training, you’re supposed to jog in 2-minute increments. You’re halfway through, and you have the urge to slow down the treadmill and stop running. You might as well keep going, and you only have a minute left
• When you’re shopping at Publix, and you have the urge to buy chips. Walk away from the chip aisle. You’ll forget about it. If you decide to buy the chips, your craving will increase since they’ll be inside your home, so it’s better to go with the “out of sight, out of mind” approach.
• When you just get out of class, and you would rather lay in bed than do something active, find the nearest seating area and sit down. For example, if you have a class in ICB, sit in the second-floor study room or go downstairs to Starbucks. Just sit, and think of a plan, whether it’s going to the gym, completing a homework assignment, or going on a walk. Diversifying your life is much more fulfilling. A week from now, you won’t remember what you did if you had just laid in bed. 

I hope these tips help. Just remember this: instead of using willpower to follow through on activities, use it to resist urges by urge surfing.

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