New Year's resolutions often don't last. Here's why they fail and how to keep them, according to an expert.
Working up your list of resolutions for the new year? Studies show most New Year's resolutions are bound to fail, so we asked an expert how to make the most of your 2025 goals.
How long do New Year's resolutions normally last?
While it differs for everyone, a 2023 poll from Forbes Health found most people give up resolutions after less than four months.
According to the survey, just under 1 in 10 people (8%) said their resolutions lasted a month, 21.9% reported two months, 22.2% reported three months and 13.1% said their resolutions lasted four months. Only 1% said they lasted for 11 or 12 months.
What percentage of New Year's resolutions ultimately fail?
While nearly half of Americans make New Year's resolutions, only about 25% of people actually stay committed to their resolutions after just 30 days, according to Columbia University. And even fewer, less than 10%, accomplish their goals.
Why do New Year's resolutions fail so often?
Resolutions often fail because people never turn them into habits, said author Justin Hale, an adviser and speaker at leadership and management consulting company Crucial Learning.
"Research shows that 40% of what we do day in and day out are habits. Habits are things that you do without even thinking. You do those things like a routine, habitually, almost automatic," he told CBS News. "The problem is people, when they want to be better in the new year, they never focus on understanding what are the exact behaviors that I need to be done to turn into habits, and what's the plan I'm going to create to make that thing habitual."
This shift may look like "I want to run more in the new year" to "I'm going to run 30 minutes each day."
"It's really specific and really clear — really measurable," he said. "Building new habits in the new year is less about grit and willpower, and it's more about having the right plan to make that new behavior habitual."
Some people also aim for too many resolutions, Hale said.
"People should be realistic with themselves. That's not to demotivate people or to make people feel bad, but it's actually to help their motivation. People tend to make longer lists of things they want to change, and they change almost none of them, and they feel worse about themselves," he said.
Instead, Hale recommends thinking which goal takes priority.
"Where's the largest gap between where you are and where you want to be?" he said. "You might pick one from work or one from home, and, if you're really ambitious, maybe one from work and one from home, but generally, not more than that."
How can you increase your chances of achieving your resolution?
To form a successful habit, there are three steps to follow, according to Hale.
1. Identity a cue: This is a trigger that gets your brain thinking about the behavior you're aiming for.
Habit trackers or apps can be helpful, Hale said, because they can send you reminders that cue your behavior.
While they can be helpful, don't make it complicated.
"You don't want them to become so complex that it has to be a whole other habit just to use the tracker," he said. "They should be something that makes it easier for you to do a habit."
2. Create a small, actionable routine: Do this by shrinking down the goal or behavior until you want to do it.
"Try to get it down to the smallest possible action," Hale said. For example, if your goal is to run 30 minutes every day, shrink it down to just putting on your running shoes and seeing what happens.
Your environment is important here. Set it up to be the most conducive to your new routine.
"What digitally, physically around me is making it harder for me right now to engage in the new habit?" he advised reflecting on.
3. Choose a reward: This is the payoff for completing the action.
This could be something physical or emotional, Hale said. Habit trackers can also work here, too.
"I use a tracker for getting in a certain amount of steps every day," said Hale. "The tracker that I have on my wrist just gives me a slight vibration, which may seem like the smallest thing on earth, but it's gotten to the point now that my brain craves that... (and) what it represents, which is, you did it, you were active enough today that you got your 10,000 steps."
And of course, prepare for setbacks. If you're not reaching the reward step, Hale said not to blame yourself. Instead, take a look at your first two steps.
"It's not that you have a motivation problem. You have a strategy or plan problem. Tweak your strategy, tweak your plan and you'll be much more successful," he said.
