Failing to achieve New Year’s resolutions has become a beloved custom. Individuals devise grand, unclear aspirations like “learn a language” or “shed pounds.” They indulge in decadent foods throughout the holidays, then return to January feeling exhausted, bloated, and back to their jobs. The majority of people make a lukewarm attempt for a week before reverting to their previous habits by what’s known as “Quitter’s Day.”
As for me, while 2025 is still ongoing, I have successfully completed (or will finish) 32 out of my 40 resolutions for the year. I wish I could have achieved more; my goals related to cycling, push-ups, and novel writing didn’t progress as I’d hoped. However, resolutions should not be viewed as insurmountable obstacles.
I can assist you in strategizing your New Year’s resolutions so you can achieve success. It’s not enough to simply purchase a fitness smartwatch or install a nutrition app, hoping that an algorithm will push you into better health. You need to personalize your plans and do it now, rather than waiting until January 1.
Five strategies for successful New Year’s resolutions:
1. Craft resolutions around activities you already engage in
There’s a reason you haven’t started volunteering, dropped pounds, or picked up knitting yet. Our time and mental energy outside of work are limited, and introducing new endeavors requires you to forgo others.
Before you embark on ambitious plans for 2026, initiate resolutions that align with your existing routine and hobbies, just slightly modified or more challenging. This way, you position yourself for success, and as you accomplish these goals, you’ll feel prompted to pursue your tougher resolutions.
– If you completed 20 books in 2025, set a goal for 25 books this year, or 20 books but include five from a different genre.
– If you’re a runner, you might run additional miles, achieve a new race personal record, engage in a certain number of track or trail workouts, or participate in specific running clubs or events.
– Chefs and bakers could consider trying one new recipe monthly or crafting side dishes that complement favorite meals.
– If you commute daily, commit to more audiobooks, podcasts, or journaling for at least one segment of your journey.
2. Divide resolutions into monthly objectives
Suppose you aspire to walk 10,000 steps daily in 2026, or increase your workouts; how can you hold yourself accountable? It only takes a single poor week to derail your routine, leaving you without motivation to continue since you’ve already stumbled.
Instead, segment your resolutions by month. Spread them out so that you can recover if you begin to falter, or keep track of your advancement toward a long-term goal.
For instance: rather than “Three visits to the gym weekly,” rephrase it as “twelve times monthly.” Offset missed days by attending more frequently the following week. If you manage only six visits in January, it doesn’t mean you should quit; target eight visits in February, then ten in March.
The ultimate aim is to establish a consistent routine, but transforming your lifestyle can be challenging, and accounting for lost days or weeks reduces the likelihood of total abandonment.
– Aiming for 10,000 steps daily? That totals 300,000 steps for the month, so incorporate days where you exceed 10,000 steps, such as weekends, to make up for lower activity on certain days.
– For more ambiguous targets like “Consume less alcohol,” track each drinking night against your monthly total. By January’s conclusion, if you drank ten times, that establishes your baseline, with the objective to lower this number in the months ahead.
– Similarly, if you desire to “lose weight,” monitoring your last weigh-in each month allows you to observe your progress, or determine if you’re regressing.
3. Set stretch and backup goals for yourself
Whatever objectives you set for 2026, establish simpler backup goals for when you aim too high and stretch goals for times you exceed your expectations.
The previous screenshot illustrates my resolution of 8K steps daily. Some months, I really fell short, but having the easier targets of 6K and 7K still motivated me to get outside toward the end of the month instead of completely giving up. In other months, I continued pursuing further after reaching the 240K total because I could set a higher target.
– Looking to read more? Perhaps five books per month is your aim, but allow yourself to strive for two (bronze) or three (silver) in those months when you don’t pick up a book for three weeks and need a nudge to finish strongly.
– Aiming for 10 gym or HIIT workouts monthly? Your monthly targets could include five workouts (bronze), eight (silver), ten (gold), and twelve (stretch).
– Dreaming of weight loss? Your bronze goal could simply be
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