While the intent behind the resolutions is good, the execution is typically poor.
Multiple studies show that 75% of people abandon their resolutions in less than a month. The second Friday after New Year’s Day has earned the moniker Quitter’s Day as the time by which most people have given up.
It’s not because people aren’t sincere in wanting to improve.
“What’s missing is a plan,” said Dr. Fadi Tayim, a clinical neuropsychologist and director of Premier Health’s Brain Mapping Center.
It’s easy to get up on Jan. 1 and say ‘I’m going to lose 20 pounds,’ Tayim said. But without a plan for how, the goal will most likely never be reached.
Even more important than the how, Tayim said, is the why.
“What’s important is what’s the reason behind it,” he said. “What keeps you going and working toward that goal.”
For health-related goals, such as weight loss, the why could be anything from a life-threatening condition to wanting to look better — as long as it’s something that keeps you on target through the long haul.
Tayim said the best predictor of a resolution’s future success is the past. What goals have been set before and what did you learn from what worked and what didn’t?
And have a contingency plan for when things go askew.
“Life is not going to go from A to Z. It’s going to zigzag,” he said.
Improved health is the number one resolution, according to the Pew Research Center, followed by saving money and improving relationships with family and friends.
Robert Fleck, a personal trainer with LA Fitness in Washington Twp., said every year after New Year’s Day the gym gets an uptick in new memberships and absent members returning.
He said having a plan is paramount to success, along with having realistic expectations.
Don’t expect everything to change at once or overnight, Fleck said.
“Tackle things one at a time. Either exercise first or diet first. It could even be sleeping habits. Everybody tries to take on everything at once and they fail,” he said.
The most important thing, he said, is to just get out there and do it.
Many resolutions also focus on financial goals, such as paying off credit card debt, saving for a new house, or simply getting more educated about money.
“New Year’s is a really good time to review and realign your financial goals overall,” said Erica Grundza, certified financial planner at Betterment, an investing and savings app.
When building your goals for 2026, Grundza recommends focusing less on the past and more on an optimistic, yet realistic, vision for the future. She recommends that you focus on reestablishing the why behind your approach to money and how you want to make it work for your life. This can be as simple as saving $10 each week in a savings account, or a bigger goal like saving to buy a house in the coming years. It’s all about your own journey.
Resolutions can easily turn into unattainable goals that feel more like a dream, said MarieYolaine Toms, a coach and founder of Focused Fire, a financial coaching company. To avoid setting unrealistic expectations, Toms follows a “no resolutions” mindset and instead focuses on making an actionable plan.
“What I say every year is that I am not making resolutions, I’m making plans that can be tracked forward, traced back, and tweaked until completion,” Toms said.
Recently, Toms encouraged her clients to check their credit report with the three credit bureaus and, based on their credit reports, make an attainable plan to start a savings account. For example, adding $25 to their savings account every week.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
Top New Year’s resolutions and the percentage of people who make them
Improve health, exercise, or diet: 79%
Improve money or finances: 61%
Improve relationships: 57%
Learn a new hobby: 55%
Work or career-related: 49%
Other: 42%
Source: Pew Research Center. Percentage represents people who made at least one New Year’s resolution.
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