The Dos and Don’ts of Resolution-Making
As we ring in the New Year, a cliché expression rings in our ears: “New Year, New Me.” In recent years, the phrase has been more commonly used ironically, but the tradition of New Year’s resolutions still stands. In fact, an estimated 30% of Americans made at least one resolution in 2024. If all these resolutions were successful, many people would be healthy, happier, perhaps richer. Gyms would be overcrowded, savings accounts overflowing, credit card debt non-existent, vegetables out of stock on grocery store shelves.
But most resolutions aren’t successful. In fact, around 80% of New Year’s Resolutions fail. This means that most resolutions made are futile, and the results are never achieved. If that’s true, then why bother making resolutions in the first place?
The truth is, if you’re going to make a lofty list of ambiguous goals, you’re probably going to be left disappointed in 2025. But, by setting up realistic goals and the steps to achieve them, starting small to avoid burnout, and taking these other tips into mind, you could find physical, emotional, financial, academic, and/or athletic success in 2025.
Our tips for smart resolution-making
- Stick to 1-2 goals
We all know someone who takes their New Year’s celebration seriously. Whether they scarf down those 12 grapes under the table, take their suitcase out for a stroll, or participate in the plethora of other New Year’s traditions, they refuse to allow 2025 to unfold the same as 2024. And because of this mentality, they probably have a ton of resolutions, too.
Unfortunately, quality over quantity yet again rings true; when you create 100 resolutions, you aren’t making 100 times more progress than if you made one resolution. Instead, you are overexerting yourself and overestimating the time and resources you have to contribute to your ambitions, along with refusing to create any priorities.
- Think about why you haven’t already established this goal
After all, you’ve had all 366 (365 plus Leap Day) days of 2024 to achieve your goals. You can start at any time. And yet, you haven’t, because it’s your resolution now. So ask yourself why: identify all your setbacks, time constraints, concerns, and complaints, and work with them.
- Use SMART goals: make goals that are realistic and create steps for success
SMART is an acronym used to describe a goal-making process used for specification and timeline creation, so goals go from vague daydreams to practicable habits. Here’s what each letter stands for:
S is for specific. Your goal should have as many details as possible in order to drive action and habit creation. “Save money” is inexact, and lack of direction in a goal can feel overwhelming. How much money do you want to save? When do you need the money by? Where will you save the money? How will you earn the money? Asking yourself the practical questions can help solidify your dreams into realities. The more specific, the better.
M is measurable. Qualitative goals can exist, such as “spend more time with family” or “travel more.” However, this makes it hard to tell when a goal is actually being accomplished. Setting up milestones or checkpoints and finding ways to measure your progress can be beneficial for staying on track and incentivizing yourself to keep going. For instance, if your goal is to save money, you can choose a specific dollar amount, such as $500, to be your goal. This helps you decide if you’re on track for your goal or if further changes need to be made.
A is for achievable. Is there a feasible reason why this goal can’t be achieved? If that is actually true, cross it off (“travel more” might not be a realistic target when you’re a high schooler with no personal finances and a family in tow).
R is for relevant. Usually, goals are almost always relevant; why would you make a goal that isn’t relevant to your own personal aspirations? However, around New Year’s, many people get sucked into the craze of resolution-making and can forget all about their own goals, choosing to adopt the ideas and opinions of others. If everyone around you is starting a fancy new diet for the new year, you’re more likely to jump on the bandwagon. But goals that are based on others’ objectives and not yours are the easiest to fall off of, so be mindful of who’s the driving factor behind your resolutions (Hint: it should always be you.).
T is for time-bound. Goals with an end date and checkpoints are easier to schedule for and stick to. However, many people dismiss the idea of an end date, as they intend to keep their resolutions going until 2026. But having a different time constraint may add motivation and limit procrastination. For example, the goal of “saving $500” might have an end date of June 30th so the money can be spent during the summer.
- Avoid burnout by starting small
Difficult resolutions often fail because, obviously, we don’t want to do them. We can do off sheer willpower in the short-term, but after a while, discipline naturally runs out, especially when we create a multitude of vague and arduous tasks for ourselves. Adding rewards can help, but still, laborious tasks like exercise and cooking healthy meals makes most people lose sight of their ambitious resolutions.
Creating incremental resolutions can seem unorthodox but may be more effective and practical in the long term. Say you want to start running in 2025: starting off with a half-marathon on January 1st might not be the way to go. Sure, in the beginning, you might feel accomplished and gung-ho on personal improvement. But before long, you’ll be sore and burnt out. Starting small may seem you seem wary of commitment, but it’s actually the opposite. Starting small shows that you’re committed to following through in the long-run and on building sustainable habits, not short term crash-diets.
Summary
All that being said, resolutions can be a powerful tool to inspire change, giving yourself a re-do after the previous year’s plans got in your way. Just remember: you are never going to have a perfect year. Or a perfect diet. Or a perfect gym schedule. Or a perfect life. And that’s okay. The goal is to stick to a few changes, not uproot your life. Take a second to look at all the ways you’ve grown in 2024, and at the end of this year, do the same. You may be surprised with your personal growth, whether you’ve created a resolution or not.