Meeting AND Keeping New Year’s Goals!

Updated January 12, 2026

By mid-January, the glow of a brand-new year often fades—and many of us are left asking the same uncomfortable question: Why did I already give up on my New Year’s resolutions? If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s one of the most common questions people ask about goal-setting every year.

Whether your resolution was to lose weight, quit smoking, get organized, improve your mental health, or finally start that side hustle, the pattern is usually the same: big motivation, high hopes ... and then real life shows up. Motivation dips. Progress feels slow. And suddenly, the goal feels out of reach.

So what actually causes New Year’s resolutions to fail? Often, it’s not a lack of willpower; t’s unrealistic expectations. We live in a quick-fix culture that promises fast results, and when change doesn’t happen immediately, discouragement sets in. That’s usually the moment people give up entirely.

Here’s the good news: keeping your New Year’s resolutions is possible. Lasting change doesn’t come from dramatic overnight transformations, it comes from small, consistent, very human steps taken over time. Try some practical, research-backed ways to set realistic goals, stay motivated, and create habits that actually stick.

6 tactics to help you keep your new year's resolutions

1. make your goals realistic

If you set the goal of losing 25 pounds by the end of the month, you are most likely setting yourself up for failure. However, if you set a goal of losing 25 pounds at the end of six months that is much more realistic since most people lose body fat at a rate of 1–2 pounds per week. Realistic goals also take into account your actual life: your schedule, your energy level, your responsibilities, and your current stress load. If you’re juggling work, kids, caretaking, or health issues, it may be more helpful to focus on sustainable micro-changes rather than a dramatic overhaul. Think “walk 10 minutes a day” instead of “run 5 miles every morning at 5 a.m.”

2. make your goal specific

Don’t just make a goal to become more organized. Make a goal to start filing your paperwork properly or get rid of junk mail as soon as it comes. Use the OHIO principle: Only Handle It Once… open the mail and file it or toss it; don’t leave it lying around! The more concrete you make your goal, the easier it is for your brain to know what to do next. “Spend five minutes every evening clearing the kitchen counter” gives you a clear action. Vague goals feel overwhelming; specific goals feel doable.

3. set yourself up for success

If your goal is to stop eating junk food, don’t bring it into the house (or car or office). If your goal is to stop using your credit cards, take them out of your wallet and put them in a place that is difficult to get to. Think ahead and plan! Ask yourself: “What usually trips me up?” and design your environment so that the path of least resistance leads toward your goal, not away from it. For some people, this might mean laying out workout clothes the night before, scheduling therapy or coaching sessions on the calendar, or asking a friend to check in with you once a week.

4. write your goals down

According to a study by Gail Matthews at Dominican University, people who wrote down their goals achieved a great deal more than those who did not write down their goals. Writing down our goals provides a visual to our brain of what we are wanting to accomplish. It also creates a gentle kind of accountability—you’ve taken your idea out of your head and put it somewhere you can see it. Try posting your goals on your bathroom mirror, saving them as a note on your phone, or keeping a simple journal where you track small wins. Over time, seeing your progress in writing can be incredibly motivating, especially on days when your motivation dips.

5. make your goals measurable

Whatever your goal is, there needs to be a way to determine if you are moving in the right direction toward achieving your goal. “I want to feel less anxious” is a good starting point, but you might measure that by tracking how many panic attacks you have per week, how often you’re able to use a coping skill, or how many nights you sleep through without waking up from stress. With health or habit goals, measurement might look like counting the number of days you practiced a new habit, how many cigarettes you cut back, how many therapy sessions you attended, or how many minutes you spent connecting with your partner each day. Measurable doesn’t have to mean rigid; it just means you can tell whether things are shifting.

6. realize that there will be setbacks along the way

After all, none of us are perfect. Seriously, no one! Consider setbacks as opportunities to learn and keep moving forward. By recognizing this as you are setting your goal, you will not be devastated if there is a setback. Reframe your self-talk from “I am a failure” to “I am learning.” It sounds AND feels a lot different! A slip doesn’t erase all the progress you’ve made—it just gives you information. Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?” try asking, “What got in my way, and how can I support myself differently next time?” Sometimes the most powerful part of change is not never falling down, but learning how to get back up with a little more compassion each time.

If you find that you are having difficulty with your goals, it may help to seek help and support. This could be in the form of a support group, a mentor, a health coach, or a therapist. You don’t have to “have it all together” to ask for help. In fact, that’s usually when support is most effective. A professional therapist can help you understand the deeper patterns that keep derailing you, like anxiety, depression, past trauma, perfectionism, or burnout, and work with you to build healthier, more sustainable habits.

Give Lifeologie Counseling a call and soon you will be on your way to fulfilling your goals!  Let us know how we can help you untangle what’s getting you stuck, create a realistic plan, and walk alongside you as you practice new ways of living, one small, doable step at a time.