From flop to finish: Mastering New Year's resolution success

Every January, millions of Americans make New Year’s resolutions to change their lives. Recent data reveal that about half of U.S. adults set a resolution for the new year. However, sticking to these promises is much more complex than making them. Studies show that the average resolution lasts less than four months. In fact, many people give up by the second Friday in January, a date that has earned the nickname “Quitter’s Day.”

Ultimately, only about 9% of people stick to their resolutions. To help you beat the odds this year, we analyzed the data to find the most popular goals, the ones that usually fail, and the specific habits you are most likely to keep.

When looking at resolutions for 2024 and 2025, most Americans focus on their health and their wallets. According to recent surveys, these are the five most popular promises people make:

Improved fitness: Approximately 48% of people list getting fit as a top priority.

Improved finances: 38% of people want to manage their money better.

Improved mental health: This goal has become a significant priority, with 36% of people focusing on their mental health.

Lose weight: A classic goal is selected by 34% of people.

Improved diet: 32% of people resolve to eat better food.

Why do so many people fail? Experts say it is often because their goals are too vague. “Action-oriented” goals (doing a specific thing) are much more successful than “avoidance-oriented” goals (trying to stop doing something). Here are five resolutions that people frequently break and the reasons why:

Lose weight: While this is a very popular wish, it often fails because it is too general. Simply saying you want to lose weight without a plan leads to frustration. Successful people break this big goal down into specific actions, like tracking what they eat or cutting portion sizes.

Quit smoking: This resolution is physically and mentally difficult. Stress, negative emotions and withdrawal symptoms often trigger slips. Without a concrete plan to manage cravings or seek medical help, willpower usually runs out.

Save money: Life is unpredictable. Unexpected financial emergencies can derail this goal quickly if you do not have a system in place. Success usually comes from automating the process, like setting up automatic transfers to a savings account, rather than just hoping to spend less.

Eat healthier: This goal often collapses under the pressure of temptation from soda, fast food and candy. It is also harder to stick to if you focus only on what you cannot eat. It works better if you focus on adding good foods, like fruits and vegetables, rather than just restricting yourself.

Exercise more: Many people make “wildly ambitious” goals, like pledging to run a marathon when they never run at all. It is much better to set smaller, achievable goals, like walking for a few minutes a day, rather than trying to change your whole life overnight.

If you want to be part of the 9% of people who succeed, experts suggest choosing specific, smaller goals that are easy to add to your daily routine. Here are five resolutions that data suggests are easier to keep:

Drink more water: a simple, specific action. Nearly half of adults do not drink enough water, but implementing this is easy and has immediate health benefits.

Get adequate sleep: Instead of a vague goal like “be healthier,” set a specific target of seven–nine hours of sleep, which is measurable. You can take concrete steps to achieve this, such as limiting caffeine six hours before bed.

Find a fitness partner: You are twice as likely to achieve your goal with an accountability partner. Sharing your fitness goals with a friend or joining a group helps keep you motivated when you feel like quitting.

Master time blocking: This is a specific skill that improves productivity. Rather than just wishing to “work better,” learning a specific technique to manage your schedule provides a clear path to success.

Learn a specific new skill: Learning a specific tool, such as how to use Artificial Intelligence, is a concrete educational goal. Unlike a vague wish to “be smarter,” there are free resources available that make this easy to start immediately.

 

The bottom line

To succeed, try to make your goals specific, share them with a friend for support, and forgive yourself if you slip up. If you break your resolution, don’t worry. June 1 is unofficially known as “New Year’s Resolution Recommitment Day.” A day to recommit to your goals and try again.