How to Actually Stick To Your New Year’s Resolutions
Every December, I sit down with a fresh wave of motivation and write a long list of New Year’s resolutions. Millions of people across the world do the same.
We all start the year with optimism, bold resolutions, and the belief that this year, things will definitely be different; the “New Year, New Me” vibes.
Unfortunately, research shows that most resolutions fade by mid-Feb. Apparently, the enthusiasm only lasts for a few weeks, and eventually the goal slips to the background until the next time you’re writing your New Year’s resolutions.
So what gives? How can we be so bad at something that seems so great? I mean, research shows 90 percent of us don’t keep our New Year’s resolutions.
Well, the answer is simple. New Year’s resolutions often rely on motivation alone. And unfortunately, motivation simply doesn’t last. This is what has given New Year’s resolutions such a bad rep.
The new year gives us a temporary boost, the “fresh start effect,” but without any strategy, structure, or realistic planning, the boost fades fast.
Statistics show we all need a little help to actually stick to our New Year’s resolutions. Here are a few practical and evidence-based tips to help you stick to your New Year’s resolutions this year.
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Why Are New Year’s Resolutions So Hard to Keep
Before I start rambling on about how it helps to understand why sticking to a resolution often feels so challenging.
First, our brains are wired to prioritize short-term rewards. So, long-term goals like getting healthier or saving money don’t feel naturally satisfying at first. So, unless you create small wins along the way, your brain will always, always prefer what feels easier and familiar.
Secondly, we often set New Year’s goals without any systems. Wanting to be “more productive” or “get fit” sounds great, but without a daily routine or plan to make it happen, the goal remains just that, a goal.
Thirdly, as I mentioned, New Year’s resolutions rely on motivation. And motivation fades. It will spike in the new year since it feels like a fresh start, but it will quickly disappear when life gets busy. And it always gets busy.
You need systems to keep you going when motivation dips.
So, you see, sticking to your New Year’s resolutions shouldn’t feel like a personal failure, but like a strategy you can actually control.
How to Actually Stick To Your New Year’s Resolutions
We can’t completely abandon our New Year’s resolutions just because most of us don’t achieve these goals.
In fact, one study shows that those who set New Year’s resolutions are 10 times more likely to actually change their behavior than people who don’t make them.
So we must. We just have to increase the odds that we actually stick to these New Year’s resolutions.
These tips will help.
1. Get Crystal Clear With Your “Why”
If you want a resolution to last, you have to know why it matters to you.
Not the society’s “shoulds”. Not anyone else’s expectations. Your reason.
Your why is what gives your resolution weight. It becomes the thing you return to on days when you don’t feel like showing up. And yes, you’ll have those days despite what you think right now.
Ask yourself:
- Why does this goal truly matter to me?
- What part of my life will feel better if I stick it out?
- How will I feel six months from now if I keep going?
When your “why” is strong, your goal becomes more than a task to check off. It becomes part of the life you want to build.
2. Set Better SMART Goals
Even the strongest, most compelling “why” won’t really help if your goal is vague.
This is why SMART goals are important.
A goal that is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound gives you the clarity you need to follow through on a daily.
A vague goal like “I want to lose weight” can’t compare to a SMART goal like “I’ll walk for 30 minutes after work, three times a week, for the next two months.”
You’re more likely to stick to goal two.
3. Focus on One or Two Main Goals at a Time
One of the biggest reasons most resolutions fall through is simple: we try to change too much at once.
You may want to lose weight, figure out your finances, spend more time with family and friends, quit smoking, and advance in your career. All noble and great goals for the year. But your brain can only handle so much.
You’re better off choosing one or two main goals for the year and going all in. You can, of course, have supporting goals, but make that one goal the primary goal.
If you can’t pick something, ask yourself:
- What is the one change that would make the biggest positive impact in my life right now?
- If everything else stayed the same, but this one thing improved, would I feel significantly better?
Start there.
4. Start Smaller Than You Think You Should
Most of us don’t follow through with our New Year’s resolutions because we start too big. We all aim for a dramatic lifestyle change instead of a small sustainable one.
Small steps aren’t “less ambitious” or “less impressive,” they’re strategic.
When you start small, you’ll win your first few attempts, you’ll build confidence, you’ll reduce resistance, and you’ll make it almost impossible to talk yourself out of the action.
For instance, if you’re trying to eat healthier, start simple by replacing a few less healthy meals with better nutritious ones before moving to the next element, like reducing portion sizes or eating more veggies.
And small steps quickly turn into your identity; you become the kind of person who always shows up.
5. Track Your Progress
If you don’t track your progress, you’ll naturally lose interest eventually. Tracking progress is one of the simplest ways to create immediate reward for long-term goals.
Simply checking off an item on your list or filling a habit grid can give your brain a quick dopamine hit. That “feel good” moment will keep you showing up.
You can choose a simple Google Sheets habit tracker, the notes app, or a weekly reflection journal.
6. Build a Support System
Get a buddy system for some accountability.
When you share your goals with someone or join a community, you increase your chances of sticking to them.
And you’ll stick to them. Not because someone is policing you, but because you feel supported and encouraged.
Besides, camaraderie can make sticking to a resolution more fun. So if possible, find like-minded people to join you in your goal.
7. Expect Setbacks and Plan for Them
One of the fastest ways to abandon a resolution is to expect perfection.
You have to realize that setbacks are part of the process, not a reason to give up and wait for next January.
This is why planning for your goal is VERY important. Think through how you’ll accomplish your resolution, how long it will take, and most importantly, how you’ll handle setbacks.
Plan for simple stuff like how you’ll handle missing a day, how you’ll get back on track after a stressful week, or a minimum-effort version of that habit.
Planning for such means you’ll know how to handle any obstacle instead of quitting at the first sign of difficulty.
8. Celebrate Small Wins
Celebrating small wins is the best way to reinforce the behavior you want to continue.
When you acknowledge progress, even a small one, you create emotional fuel. Your brain will associate that habit with a positive experience, which will automatically increase your desire to repeat it.
9. Choose a Completely New Resolution
If possible, avoid choosing a resolution that you’ve tried in the past but failed.
If you set the same resolution year after year, your brain already associates that goal with failure. This can create a huge mental resistance before you even begin.
If it’s a goal you really want to accomplish, consider modifying it.
And yes, I realize sometimes the goal isn’t the issue, the strategy, or lack of, was. That’s why you need to think it through. And if you go with an old goal, change the approach.
10. Give Your Resolution Time to Become a Habit
A lot of frustration comes with expecting a resolution to feel easy right away. Yet we all know change takes time.
Some of the unhealthy habits you’re trying to change probably took years to develop; you can’t change them in mere days or weeks.
New habits don’t feel natural in the beginning. You need a LOT of repetition to get there.
So give your resolution time to settle into your life. If you stick with it long enough, the effort decreases, and the behavior becomes more automatic.
If you want help learning how to actually build better habits from simple everyday activities, check out Atomic Habits by James Clear.
11. Bring in the Power of Fresh Starts Throughout the Year
We’ve acknowledged that some of the allure of New Year’s resolutions is the “fresh start.” But the New Year isn’t the only “fresh start.”
Mondays, new months, birthdays, and resets are all good openings that will make it easier to recommit to your New Year’s resolutions.
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Final Thoughts on How to Stick To Your New Year’s Resolutions
Sticking to your New Year’s resolutions shouldn’t be about willpower. Make it about building a structure that supports who you want to become, and I’ll bet all my hard-earned coins that this year you’ll actually achieve your New Year’s resolutions.
When you know your why, set clear goals, start small, track progress, and thoroughly plan the goals you give yourself tools to stay consistent long after the January hype fades.
