According to numerous studies, it’s estimated that approximately 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail by the second week of February.
So why do so many people give up on their resolutions soon after making them, and how can we approach setting goals differently?
There are several reasons why most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions. Do any of these resonate with you?
1. Lack of clarity: People often make resolutions that are too vague or broad, making it difficult to track progress and know when they have achieved their goal.
2. Unrealistic expectations: Some resolutions are too ambitious, and people expect too much of themselves too soon. This can lead to disappointment and frustration.
3. Insufficient planning: People may not have a clear plan of action to achieve their resolutions and may not have broken them down into manageable steps.
4, Lack of motivation: Without a strong internal drive, people can easily lose interest in their resolution, especially if they don’t see quick results.
5. Life distractions: Unplanned events or changes in life circumstances can throw people off track, making it difficult to maintain their resolution.
6. Negative self-talk: People who focus on their failures and setbacks, rather than their progress, are more likely to give up on their resolutions.
It’s important to keep in mind that the failure rate of New Year’s resolutions is high, but it doesn’t mean that goal setting is ineffective. Rather, it emphasizes the importance of setting realistic goals, having a solid plan in place, and staying motivated and committed. With the right approach, it’s very possible to achieve and sustain positive change, even after the start of a new year.
So how can we approach setting goals differently?
1. Start by reflecting on the past year
Look back on the past year and ask: What’s working? What’s not working? What just needs to be tweaked? What can I change that would make my life, my family, my business, and my career run better and feel better?
Sit down with a pen and paper to answer these questions. Putting pen to paper can allow you to be more creative.
It’s also important to acknowledge the things that went well for you, any progress you’ve made and to give yourself credit for that.
2. Align your goals with your values
A great way to do this is to either visualise the life you want to create for yourself in the coming year. Get really detailed about everything that matters to you—from your relationships to your health, career, lifestyle, and finances. Or, if you prefer, you can write it all out instead.
Once you have your vision, you can set specific goals in the areas of your life that are most important to you. Then ask yourself: What are the most important actions that I need to accomplish in each of these areas to make this vision real?
So, for example, if you have decided you want to save more money in 2023, think about why. What will those additional savings provide for you? Maybe it will give you security, which may be one of your values. Maybe it’s to travel to see family abroad more often —which helps support values like family and connection. Whatever your motivation is, it’s never just about the money itself. The underlying priorities, like in this case, being able to feel more secure, or being able to spend more time with family can keep you motivated to take the steps you need—like reducing your spending, or taking on additional work for extra income—to be able to set more money aside.
3. Create an action plan
One reason that resolutions often fail is because they’re too vague or aren’t accompanied by a specific timeline or an action plan to achieve them.
Use a SMART goal-setting approach that is: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
So, for example, instead of just resolving to lose weight, set a specific and realistic weight loss goal over a certain period of time. Or break it down into smaller targets like pounds lost per month and then outline the actions you’ll take to reach them—whether it’s committing to exercising daily or making specific changes to your diet, or both.
Also, look at what’s already working and then build on that. So, for example, if you’ve already started taking regular walks, increasing their duration or frequency is an easy way to burn more calories and help you reach a weight loss goal.
4. Get yourself an accountability partner
Various studies show that having someone who will help hold you accountable can make a significant difference. So, ask a friend, or family member if you can share your weekly progress.
5. Celebrate small wins
Finally, don’t forget to celebrate any small wins or victories. The journey to accomplishing our goals is not always an easy one and it can be easy to focus on all the things that aren’t going well when we’re having an off day which can lead to feeling down and demotivated.
Celebrating small wins can help give you more energy, boost motivation, and may also give you more confidence and help with coping during tough times.
Hopefully, this has given you some motivation to look at new year’s resolutions and goal setting differently. I’d love to know whether you’ll be implementing any of these tips.
For additional support, feel free to get in contact to find out the many ways you can work with me.
