Why New Year Resolutions Don’t Stick and How to make them stick?

Resolutions are promises that people make to themselves at the start of a new year, often with the goal of improving some aspect of their lives. These can include things like exercising more, eating healthier, or saving money. However, despite our best intentions, many resolutions don’t stick. In fact, research suggests that only about 8% of people are successful in achieving their New Year’s resolutions. So why do so many resolutions fail, and what can we do to improve our chances of success?

The biggest reason resolutions don’t stick is because they are often too vague or overly ambitious. For example, a resolution to “exercise more” is too vague to be meaningful. Without a specific goal or plan in place, it’s easy to lose motivation or get sidetracked. On the other hand, resolutions that are overly ambitious can be demotivating if they feel unattainable. For example, a resolution to “run a marathon” may seem daunting if you have never run more than a mile before.

Second reason resolutions don’t stick is because they are not grounded in our values or long-term goals. For example, a resolution to “lose weight” may be motivated by societal pressure or a desire to fit into a certain clothing size, rather than a genuine desire to improve one’s health or well-being. Without a clear connection to our values or long-term goals, it can be difficult to sustain motivation over the long-term.

Third reason resolutions don’t stick is because they are not accompanied by a plan for how to achieve them. For example, a resolution to “save money” is not enough on its own. To be successful, we need to have a specific plan for how much we want to save, how we will save it, and how we will track our progress. Without a plan, it’s easy to get sidetracked or give up when faced with obstacles or setbacks.

Fourth reason resolutions don’t stick is because of a lack of flexibility and realism. Life is full of unexpected challenges and setbacks, and it’s important to be prepared for them. If we encounter an obstacle or setback, it’s important to be flexible and adjust our goals or plans accordingly. This might mean adjusting the timeline for achieving our goals, changing our approach to achieving them, or even revising the goals themselves. It’s also important to be realistic about what we can achieve. If our goals are too ambitious, it can be demotivating if we struggle to achieve them. It’s better to set smaller, more achievable goals that we can build upon over time. By being flexible and realistic, we can better navigate the challenges and setbacks that come our way and stay motivated and on track towards achieving our goals.

How to make resolutions work?

So how can we improve our chances of sticking to our resolutions? First step is to set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals. This means setting a specific goal (e.g., “I will run a 5K race”), a measurable target (e.g., “I will run three times per week”), a realistic goal that is achievable (e.g., “I will gradually increase my running distance over the next three months”), a goal that is relevant to our values or long-term goals (e.g., “I want to improve my cardiovascular health”), and a specific time frame for when we want to achieve the goal (e.g., “I will complete the 5K race in three months”). By setting SMART goals, we can break down our resolutions into smaller, more manageable steps, which can help us stay motivated and on track.

Second step is to enlist the support of friends or family. Research has shown that having a supportive network of people can help us achieve our goals. This can include having someone to hold us accountable, to offer encouragement and motivation, or to provide practical support (e.g., helping us plan our workouts or meals). Having someone to share our progress with can also be a source of motivation and a way to celebrate our successes along the way.

Third step is to track our progress and celebrate our achievements. Research has shown that self-monitoring (e.g., keeping a food diary, tracking our workouts) can help us stay on track and achieve our goals. It’s also important to celebrate our small wins along the way. This can help us stay motivated and feel a sense of accomplishment, which can in turn fuel our desire to continue working towards our goals.

Fourth step is to be flexible and to be realistic about what we can achieve. Life is full of unexpected challenges and setbacks, and it’s important to be prepared for them. If we encounter an obstacle or setback, it’s important to be flexible and adjust our goals or plans accordingly. It’s also important to be realistic about what we can achieve. If our goals are too ambitious, it can be demotivating if we struggle to achieve them. It’s better to set smaller, more achievable goals that we can build upon over time.

Fifth step is to increase motivation and commitment. To achieve this, it can be helpful to set rewards or consequences for achieving or not achieving the goal. For example, we could promise ourselves a treat or reward if we stick to our resolution, or we could set a consequence for not achieving the goal (e.g., donating money to a cause we don’t support). By setting rewards or consequences, we can create a sense of accountability and motivation to follow through on our goals.

We can also remind ourselves of the benefits or reasons for achieving the goal, such as improved health, financial stability, or personal growth. By reminding ourselves of the positive outcomes that will come from achieving our goals, we can increase our motivation and commitment to achieving them.

Here is a quick summary for easy memorisation: