As a new year settles in, many of us find ourselves pausing to take stock of our lives. January brings a familiar sense of possibility: this year will be different. This year, we will finally change for the better.
So we start strong. Gym memberships are activated. Shopping baskets fill with leafy greens. Productivity apps are downloaded with enthusiasm. The promise of a “new year, new you” feels tangible, almost within reach.
You embrace these commitments with optimism and good intentions. Yet, by the second month (or even the second week), your hopes and dreams of a “new year, new you” fades into the background of more entrenched habits and activities.
If this sounds familiar, you are not alone. Both research and lived experience tell the same story: New Year’s resolutions often fail.
Is it a sign that we are lazy, unmotivated, and incapable of change?
Or is there something more to it?
Behind the Promises We Cannot Keep
The main problem with the lack of change is not necessarily the lack of motivation – we have plenty of that when we come up with these resolutions.
The issue is in regards to how we think about and attempt to execute these resolutions.
1. We are Trying to Change Too Much
We take on January like a personal overhaul: “no more sugar”, “visit the gym five times a week”, “study with the language app two hours a day”, “follow a new sleep schedule”.
The ambition is admirable, but such extremities do not really work for us.
We are expecting a major change, based on all-or-nothing thinking. But habits take a lot of mental energy to build up, and such big shifts can be too overwhelming for our brains. Eventually, we will miss a day, perceive it as a failure, and quickly burn ourselves out trying to follow a routine that is impossible to maintain.
2. The Plan Is Too Vague
While resolutions like “I want to eat healthier” or “I want to be fit” sound nice, they lack clarity. There is nothing specific about it, no benchmark to act on, no noticeable steps to follow.
Vague goals do not tell you what you actually need to do to achieve them. When they are unrealistic or poorly defined, instead of helping you make progress, all they do is set you up for frustration.
💡 Tip: Make SMART goals 💡
Specific = Who, what, when, where, why, which, how
Measurable = Metrics and milestones
Achievable = Do you have the skills and tools to accomplish this objective?
Relevant = Does it fit with your overall objective?
Time-bound = Intermediate and final deadline
Clear, structured goals give your brain something concrete to act on.
3. We Focus Too Much on Outcomes
According to Dr Lim Boon Leng, a psychiatrist from Gleneagles Medical Centre:
“There is a tendency for people to make lofty resolutions and perceive success as an immediate change.”
For instance, many people who want to slim down tend to adopt a dramatically different diet when the new year comes around.
“They may not see weight loss immediately (and may) lose steam after a few weeks and give up. After a few early failures… the person gives up, until next year.”
4. The Motivation Is Not Intrinsic
Just because we feel pressure to change, does not mean we actually want it. For example, why are you trying to lose weight? Is it to feel healthier, or just to follow a certain beauty standard?
Motivations matter, and when it is extrinsic and less aligned with our personal values, the process feels disconnected from us, and it makes the resolution harder to follow.
5. We Underestimate Environmental Factors
We cannot always run on motivation. Our environment plays a massive role in our ability to enact change, yet it is something we overlook in the planning of our goals. For instance, our easy access to junk food and heightened potential for procrastinating via our phones can detract us from the routine we have planned.
And if you are on a busy schedule, do you think you will have the energy to go to the gym every single day?
If your environment does not support your goals, you will have to constantly depend on self-control, which can be mentally exhausting and unsustainable.
Making Our New Year’s Resolutions Stick
Failed resolutions are one thing, but the emotional aftermath is another. Many of us struggle with the guilt and diminished self-confidence, internalising it as a personal flaw, and this can make future attempts at change even harder.
So if we want to make our resolutions stick, we need to design goals that work for us, not against us.
- Start Small – Very Small
Let go of all the sweeping statements, and focus on small, manageable actions. For example, if you want to work out more, rather than committing to hour-long sessions, move your body just 10 minutes a day. This is more achievable, and can help you build momentum.
- Reframe the Goal
Understand why the goal matters to you – if it truly matters at all – and focus on who you want to become. When habits are tied to your values, they become more meaningful, even when progress is slow.
- Measure Progress Beyond Perfection
Progress does not occur linearly, and the endgame is not perfection. Make your goals measurable and keep track of them through habit-tracking apps or journaling. Celebrate whenever you hit a milestone, whether big or small. The boost to your confidence (and the reward system in your brain) will help you maintain consistency.
- Redesign Your Environment
Instead of relying fully on willpower, try and make the right choice the easy choice for you. This can include keeping healthy snacks on hand, putting your workout clothes where you can often see them, or reducing distractions in spaces meant for focus.
In addition, surround yourself with people who can support you in achieving your goal. Join a class or group, or just get yourself an accountability buddy.
- Be Flexible
Life happens, and it can get in the way of your plans, no matter how strategically you prepare for them. If you are facing setbacks, view them as learning opportunities for future adjustments. Be kind to yourself, and adapt whenever you need to.
“Keeping resolutions should not be an all-or-nothing process. Remember that it’s a work in progress,” Dr Lim states.
At the end of the day, the key to following through on our resolutions does not just involve motivation, but patience and consistency.
Read More
- Research-Backed Strategies to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions
- A Beginner’s Guide to Kickstart Your Fitness Journey in the New Year
External References
- Cherry, K. (2023, January 20). 10 Great Tips to Keep Your New Year’s Resolutions. Verywell Mind. Retrieved from: https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-keep-your-new-years-resolutions-2795719
- Gan, E. (2023, January 1). Sticking to your new year’s resolutions: 5 tips for setting and achieving realistic health goals. CNA. Retrieved from: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/new-year-resolutions-5-tips-setting-achieving-realistic-health-goals-4631571
- Loh, R. (2024, January 1). Gen Zen: Is there a point to making new year’s resolutions? Here’s how to do so with clear intentions and achievable goals. CNA. Retrieved from: https://www.channelnewsasia.com/today/mental-health-matters/gen-zen-there-point-making-new-years-resolutions-heres-how-do-so-clear-intentions-and-achievable-goals-4633441
- Morin, A. (2024, December 29). Why New Year’s Resolutions Set You Up to Fail. Psychology Today. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/sg/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-do/202412/why-new-years-resolutions-set-you-up-to-fail
- Vinney, C. (2025, September 11). The Psychology Behind Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail. Verywell Mind. Retrieved from: https://www.verywellmind.com/why-new-years-resolutions-fail-6823972
