Goal setting
New Year's resolutions fail by February. Do this instead
5 min read · Updated
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- About half of resolutions are gone after one month, but people who set one do far better than people who don't (Norcross).
- Goals to start something were kept more often than goals to stop something (Oscarsson and colleagues).
- Three goals, a picture, milestones and an if-then plan for bad weeks make a resolution last.
- Any fresh start works, not only January 1st (Dai, Milkman and Riis).
January 1st. New gym bag. New notebook. Big plans.
By February, the gym bag is back in the cupboard. You're not the only one. And it's not a lack of willpower. Mostly, it's how the goals were set up.
Resolutions don't fail because people are weak. They fail because of how they're set up.
How fast do New Year's resolutions fade?
Faster than most people expect.
Psychologist John Norcross followed 200 people who made resolutions. After one week, 77% were still going. After one month, 55%. After six months, 40%.
So roughly half are gone by February. But the same research has good news. In a later study, people who made a resolution were far more likely to succeed after six months than people who wanted to change but set no resolution: 46% against 4%.
Setting the goal is worth it. It just needs a better setup.
Why do resolutions fail?
The four most common reasons:
- ❌ Too many at once. Ten goals fight over the same evenings.
- ❌ Too vague. "Get healthier" can't be ticked off.
- ❌ Out of sight. Written once, never read again.
- ❌ No plan for a bad week. One missed week feels like the end.
All four are fixable. Here's how.
Everything in sight. On one board.
Tasks, notes, photos and plans as cards on one calm board. No charge today. Cancel anytime.
Start 7 days freeOr see all templates →1. Why three goals, not ten?
Because your time and energy are limited, and the easiest goal usually wins, not the most important one.
Pick three:
- One for health or energy
- One for work or learning
- One for joy
Park the rest on a "Later" card. They're not gone. They're waiting their turn.
2. Should my goal be "stop" or "start"?
"Start" works better.
In a study of more than 1,000 people, Swedish researchers led by Martin Oscarsson compared two kinds of resolutions. Goals about doing something ("start reading at night") were kept more often than goals about avoiding something ("stop scrolling"): about 59% against 47% after a year.
3. Why give each goal a picture?
Because a picture tells you why, in one look. On a tired Tuesday, "read 24 books" is just a number. A photo of the chair where you'll read is a feeling.
4. How do I break it into steps?
Big goals need milestones. Small wins keep you going.
"Read 24 books" becomes 6 → 12 → 18 → 24. Each one is a reason to tick something off.
Then pick one action small enough for this week: 20 pages before bed.
5. What's my plan for a bad week?
Decide it now, while you're motivated.
Psychologists Peter Gollwitzer and Paschal Sheeran combined 94 studies on "if-then" plans. People who decided in advance what they would do in a tricky moment reached their goals clearly more often.
Want to go one step further? WOOP adds your biggest obstacle to the plan.
6. Where should I keep my goals?
Where you look every day. On your phone, not in a January notebook.
In Norcross's research, the people who kept going were the ones who used reminders and changed their surroundings to support the goal. A goal you see every morning is a goal you keep thinking about. More on why seeing beats remembering.
Do I have to start on January 1st?
No. A fresh start helps, but it doesn't have to be January.
Researchers Hengchen Dai, Katherine Milkman and Jason Riis found people are more likely to start on goals at any new beginning: a new month, a new week, a birthday.
Missed January? Next Monday counts too.
What does it look like on one board?
Three or four goals side by side, each with a picture, a date, milestones and a plan for bad weeks. One look tells you where you stand.
Your resolution reset
Screenshot this.
- Three goals, not ten.
- Start something, don't only stop something.
- A picture for each.
- Milestones and one step for this week.
- An if-then for a bad week.
- Somewhere you look every day.
Start in December, and you begin January with a plan you can already see.
Questions
How many New Year's resolutions fail?
In research by John Norcross, 55% of people were still keeping their resolution after one month and 40% after six months.
Are New Year's resolutions worth making?
Yes. People who made a resolution were far more likely to succeed after six months than people who wanted to change but set none: 46% against 4%.
What kind of resolution works best?
Goals about starting something. In a study of more than 1,000 people, these were kept more often than goals about stopping something.
How many resolutions should I make?
Three is a good number: one for health or energy, one for work or learning, one for joy.
Is it too late if I missed January?
No. People are more likely to start on goals at any fresh start, like a new month, a new week or a birthday.
Sources
- Oscarsson, M., Carlbring, P., Andersson, G., & Rozental, A. (2020). A large-scale experiment on New Year's resolutions: Approach-oriented goals are more successful than avoidance-oriented goals. PLOS ONE, 15(12), e0234097. (Includes the findings of Norcross and Vangarelli, 1989.)
- Norcross, J. C., Mrykalo, M. S., & Blagys, M. D. (2002). Auld lang syne: Success predictors, change processes, and self-reported outcomes of New Year's resolvers and nonresolvers. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(4), 397–405.
- Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119.
- Dai, H., Milkman, K. L., & Riis, J. (2014). The fresh start effect: Temporal landmarks motivate aspirational behavior. Management Science, 60(10), 2563–2582.
Try it on your own board.
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