Did you know that roughly 80% of people have already given up on their New Year’s resolutions? Just one month into the year, the excitement of new goals has waned for most folks. As a result, the vast majority of people have completely abandoned the great things they had set out to accomplish. Don’t let that be you!
Why Do People Give Up On Resolutions So Quickly
Let’s try to understand why this happens every year and what you can do to break this cycle. With the right tools and mindset, you can crush the resolutions struggle.
Here are some main reasons why so many resolutions are discarded.
Unrealistic Goals
Many resolutions are too broad or too ambitious. For example, goals like “get healthy” or “lose 50 pounds in a month” set people up for disappointment. When progress isn’t as fast or clear as expected, motivation fades quickly.
Lack of a Plan
Without a concrete plan, it’s easy to give up. Many resolutions don’t break down large goals into smaller, manageable steps. This can make them feel overwhelming and difficult to achieve.
Old Habits
Our brains are wired to stick with familiar routines. Breaking long-standing habits or starting new ones can feel like a huge challenge when the old patterns keep resurfacing.
Craving Immediate Results
Most resolutions focus on long-term goals, like saving money or losing weight. However, we tend to crave instant results. When they don’t come quickly, we lose interest and the resolution loses its appeal.
Motivation Fades
The initial excitement and motivation that comes with New Year’s resolutions often wanes after a few weeks. Without external accountability or reminders, it’s easy to let go of your goals.
Improve Your Resolutions’ Odds of Success
Change is hard, especially as we get older and older. But it is possible! Our biology supports change—we just have to lean into our brain’s plasticity. Here are five straightforward ways to do this.
- Set realistic, achievable goals
- Create a very specific plan
- Stay consistent no matter what
- Hold yourself accountable
- Start with “Why”
Start small and focus on gradual progress. Make sure your goals are specific and attainable, so you can see improvements without overwhelming yourself.
Break your resolution into smaller actions that are easy to track. Having a clear roadmap keeps you focused and motivated to move forward.
And remind yourself it’s not about being perfect. It’s about consistency. If you slip up, don’t quit—just pick up where you left off and keep going.
Share your goals with a friend or use an app to track your progress. Having someone to check in with makes you more likely to stick with it. Even consider publishing them online like I do to really hold yourself accountable.
And lastly, tie your resolutions to a meaningful purpose. When your “why” is clear, it’s easier to stay motivated and push through tough days.
My 2025 Goals and Resolutions
To raise my own chances of success, I have built a habit of publishing my list of new goals each year. I do this for several reasons. One, it helps me remember. Two, publicly announcing my goals motivates me to complete as many of them as possible to avoid major embarrassment!
As much as I would like to write a sentence or two about each goal, it would simply take too long. I tend to get overly ambitious and make a very long list. Even still, I always feel like my goals list isn’t comprehensive enough. Although, I tried to cover a lot of bases without going too overboard. I certainly don’t expect to complete everything. But, I’m hopeful I can get to a ~65-70% completion rate by December. Anyway, here goes:
Mental Health Resolutions
- Short term memory exercises 3-4x week
- Create a list of self affirmations (done!)
- Make a list of frequent negative thoughts and their positive replacements
Physical Health Resolutions
- Maintain my weight
- Continue weekly tap classes
- Stop going 5 hours straight without water
- Stretch and/or resistance training 3x week, esp my core and neck
- Get an annual physical
Work Resolutions
- Ensure a successful book launch
- Share my contributions 3-5x week with my boss
- Spend 1 hour a month organizing my computer files
- Learn how to do 5 new things with AI
Errands
- Renew my husband’s passport
- Get Real IDs for both of us before May 7th
- Unsubscribe from 5 mailings
- Donate or sell 10 bags of clothing, toys, books, misc.
- Finally learn how to use an instant pot
Finance Resolutions
- Reinvest my Citi dividends quarterly
- Complete my accounting tasks quarterly at a minimum, ideally monthly
- Implement biweekly cash management checks
- Invest available cash monthly at a minimum
Mindset Resolutions
- Train myself to take a why not approach more often
- Stop self-sabotage and nurture a growth mindset
- Be a better active listener and maintain topic focus
- Memorize a short list of qs for more engaging conversations
Lifestyle Resolutions
- Read 5 nonfiction books
- Use time blocking 5x week to improve focus and awareness of how long things take
- Get to know 12 new people
- Learn how to make 5-8 new recipes
- Do more premortem prep to improve punctuality
Family Resolutions
- Support my husband in feeling truly valued through my actions
- Ensure my husband gets an annual physical
- Less multitasking and more playtime with the kids on weekends
- Find good desks and chairs for the kids
- Increase their involvement in daily chores
- Plan a new summer adventure
- Learn how to ski with the kids (already a work in progress!)
- Help my daughter get to reading level E
- Make more homemade lunches for the kids
- Open a Fidelity account for my mother
- Complete my aunt’s estate
Home Resolutions
- Organize the craft supply closet
- Decrease overcrowding in the yard
- Unbury myself from paper
- Implement a quarterly pest control regime
- Always check inventory before placing orders
- Complete maintenance on radiant heat before Q4
- Learn how to open and maintain the toilet wall flush mechanism
- Vacuum the whole house weekly
- Organize the tools and storage cabinets
Alrighty, that’s a wrap for now. I hope you feel more prepared and motivated now to crush the resolution struggle. Even if you’ve abandoned some of the goals you set last month, it’s not too late to start again! And you can also sign up for my email list for free tips and to get notified whenever I publish a new article.
Untemplaters, please share how your year is going so far. What are some of your top goals and challenges right now?
Wow! So many goals and resolutions! That would be great if you could even get half of them done.
My favorite is “ Train myself to take a why not approach more often ”
That positive mindset makes all the difference! Good luck!
Sam
Thanks! Yeah I tend to be very optimistic on how much I think I can get done each year. But I figure why not have a lot of aspirations! 😉 We can get a LOT done in one year!