New Year’s Resolutions: How to Set Ones You’ll Actually Keep

Every January, the same thing happens. We wake up feeling motivated, hopeful, and ready to become a “better version” of ourselves. We promise to exercise more, eat better, save money, stress less, sometimes all at once. For a while, it feels like this might finally be the year.

Then life gets busy.

By February (or earlier), many resolutions quietly fade away. This isn’t because people are lazy or incapable of change. Research on motivation and behaviour change shows that most resolutions fail because they’re built on unrealistic expectations, not because people lack effort.

Why the New Year Feels So Powerful

The start of a new year creates what behavioural scientist, Katy Milkman calls a “fresh start.” In her research on the fresh-start effect, Milkman explains that these moments help people mentally separate their past selves from who they want to become.

As she puts it:

“Fresh starts help people feel less connected to past failures and more optimistic about change.”
— Katy Milkman, Wharton School of Business

This explains why New Year’s resolutions feel so motivating at first. The timing gives people a psychological boost, but that boost doesn’t last unless it’s paired with realistic planning.

Where Resolutions Commonly Break Down

One major issue is vagueness. Goals like “get fit” or “be happier” sound inspiring, but they don’t provide clear direction. Decades of research by Edwin Locke and Gary Latham, pioneers of goal-setting theory, show that specific goals lead to better performance than vague ones.

Locke famously stated:

“Goals affect performance by directing attention, mobilising effort, increasing persistence, and motivating strategy development.”
— Edwin Locke

When goals lack clarity, it becomes harder to know what action to take, or whether progress is even happening.

Another problem is underestimating effort. The planning fallacy, first described by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, explains why people tend to assume change will be quicker and easier than it actually is. When progress turns out to be slower, motivation often drops.

There’s also the issue of reward timing. Many resolutions depend on long-term outcomes, but motivation research consistently shows that immediate rewards are more effective than distant ones. In a study on habit formation, Milkman found that people were more likely to stick with goals when the process itself felt rewarding, not just the end result.

Why Big, Unrealistic Goals Can Backfire

When people fall short of their resolutions, they often blame themselves rather than the goal. Over time, this can reduce confidence and make future change feel harder.

Social psychologist Roy Baumeister, known for his work on self-control, has noted that willpower is not limitless. Treating it as an endless resource, especially by attempting major lifestyle overhauls, often leads to burnout rather than success.

This is why overly ambitious resolutions can create cycles of guilt and disappointment instead of growth.

What Actually Helps People Stick to Goals

Research on behaviour change points to several practical strategies that consistently improve follow-through.

Make goals specific and realistic.
Clear goals like “walk for 20 minutes after work three times a week” are easier to follow than broad intentions.

Plan for obstacles.
Psychologist Peter Gollwitzer, who developed the concept of implementation intentions, found that people are more likely to reach goals when they use simple “if–then” plans.

As Gollwitzer explains:

“People who form implementation intentions are more likely to act on their goals because they’ve already decided how to respond to challenges.”
— Peter Gollwitzer

Focus on small habits rather than big transformations.
Behaviour scientist B.J. Fogg, creator of the Tiny Habits model, emphasises starting small:

“Tiny habits grow into remarkable change.”
— B.J. Fogg

Small, repeatable actions place less strain on motivation and are easier to maintain over time.

Expect setbacks.
Missing a day doesn’t erase progress. Research on habit formation shows that consistency over time matters more than perfection.

A Kinder Way to Think About Resolutions

Instead of asking, “How can I completely change myself this year?” a better question might be:

“What small change would realistically make my daily life better?”

The resolutions people stick with aren’t usually dramatic or extreme. They’re flexible, achievable, and grounded in real life, not an idealised version of it.

Real change doesn’t come from setting perfect goals. It comes from setting goals that respect how people think, feel, and live.

Further Reading

Milkman, K. L. (2021). How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be

Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation

Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans

Fogg, B. J. (2019). Tiny Habits

Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, Fast and Slow