How are your New Year's resolutions doing as the first month of the year comes to a close? Perhaps they are a memory long forgotten by Jan. 2. Maybe you’re beginning to lose the motivation to keep up with them, or perhaps you didn’t even set them because you have a history of failed attempts.
Many people begin the year with a determination to become the very best version of themselves by setting lofty, unattainable goals. But 88% of New Year’s resolutions are abandoned by the second week of January, according to Baylor College of Medicine. Make this year different by identifying the problem with your resolutions and editing them to be more personalized and attainable.
Why resolutions fail
Resolutions fail for several reasons, but people tend to lose motivation the quickest when they set goals that are too unrealistic to keep up with their lifestyle. Deciding to drastically change your life on New Year's Eve likely won’t result in success because this insurmountable resolution will feel so daunting that you might not even start.
Additionally, it can be tempting to use this as a time to completely rebrand yourself and start fresh. Doing a 180-degree spin on your lifestyle likely won’t work in the long run because when the stress of life picks up, the motivation to stick to these resolutions will wane as they are slowly bumped down the priority list.
Typically, when people set huge goals for themselves, they forget that breaking them into smaller chunks will make them easier to complete. By believing these goals will magically happen when the intention is set, they never turn into reality because there isn’t a clearly defined path to get there.
Making your resolutions a reality
We get that resolutions can be hard to keep up with, but what can we do to make our aspirations for the new year more attainable? First, try reframing how you think about setting a resolution. Instead of setting a year-long goal, try setting a goal that only lasts a month or even a week.
This year, I decided to run one mile every day in January, and the shorter window has made me more committed since I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. By splitting up the year into smaller chunks, not only are you more likely to stick to the goals you set, but you will also have more diversity in your routine, allowing you to decide what you want to continue past the window of your goal.
Start small by changing only a single part of your routine throughout the start of the year. For example, if you hope to eat healthier this year, set a goal to eat one healthy meal per day or even per week. By starting small with goals, you are setting yourself up for success, which will give you the confidence to try a bigger goal next time.
Lastly, when setting your resolutions, make sure to talk about it. Not only are you hashing out your ideas with others, but you are also building accountability. And if you’re lucky, maybe your roommate will want to join you on your morning runs!
Let this be the year that your New Year’s resolution becomes reality. By reframing your goals, starting small, and talking about your resolutions with friends and family, you are setting yourself up for success in knocking down your goals one at a time. Go make 2025 your year!
