The New Year is here, bringing with it an array of unknowns, optimism, hope, and, often, a desire for change. Our brains love a fresh start — from Monday, from the next month, New Year’s, or, for moms, "just once this phase of the kids' live is over." Interestingly, I discovered that New Year’s resolutions date back about 4,000 years. In other words, they aren’t a modern concept but an ancient way for people to set intentions. Back then, these promises were often tied to more basic aspects of life, like paying off debts, and they were made at different times of the year, not on January 1st. Yet, the idea was similar to today’s: to improve in some way, for a better outcome.
But statistics reveal something else, too: many New Year’s resolutions stay just that — promises for the new year. Only about two-thirds of people who set goals for the coming year achieve them. In fact, studies show that 80% of people abandon their resolutions. According to research from the Strava app, January 19th is the most likely day when people give up on their goals entirely. Since January 19 is just around the corner, here’s a guide to help you stay on track and turn your New Year’s goals and dreams into a sustainable strategy for your “new self” — not just a few fleeting days of change.
I've outlined several strategies you can apply to your personal goals to create lasting transformation. Just follow these steps, and you can also download a visual format of this guide for free! As someone who loves to see the big picture, I’m offering it to you at no cost. You can print it out, sketch it in a notebook, or even use a note-taking app like Google Keep to track your tasks. Use whatever format feels right for you. The most important thing is to stay genuinely motivated to reach your goals and to enjoy the process along the way.
Here are the steps for achieving your New Year’s goals and promises:
Step 1: why?
One reason that goals and promises often fail is that we aren’t always clear on why we want them or if the change is truly meaningful to us. Take a look at your goals for the coming year and note next to each one, “Why is this important to me, and what am I actually trying to change?” This helps build awareness about your goal and the result you want to achieve. For example, if you want to eat better, the goal itself is vague. But if you specify, “I want to improve my health by having one of these five healthy breakfasts instead of a pastry each day,” the goal feels more achievable.
You can also explore why this change is significant. Do you want to lose weight for confidence, prevent certain health issues, or set an example for your children? Look deeper into your motivation without overthinking it. Just clarify what genuinely drives you.
Step 3: What?
This is about your own personal motivation. Here I would encourage you to think about how this change will positively impact you. Often, we set goals out of a sense of “should,” rather than “How do I want this change to help me?” or “What specific outcome would I like to achieve?”
Suppose your goal is to learn a foreign language this year. Think about how this accomplishment could benefit you — whether it’s to enhance your resume for a career shift or to open up more professional opportunities? For each goal, think about the end result and how it will look and feel. Describe the positive change you expect and when you hope to see it.
Step 3: how?
Now that you’re clear on the results you want, it’s time for specifics and action. Break down each big goal into smaller steps that will make it manageable. For example, if you aim to reduce sugar, small steps could include informing your family of your decision, finding healthy substitutes to stock in the pantry, or reading about emotional eating. Write down as many mini-steps as possible, even the small ones, like “go to the store and buy healthy snack or fruits instead of chocolate.” Breaking your goals down is essential, as any change — big or small — requires some baby steps.
Step four: What more?
This step is about tracking your progress. Set a schedule to review your progress at specific times — for instance, every Sunday, reflect on where you succeeded, which steps you completed, and where you might improve. This gives you a clearer perspective on what’s working. If you struggle with motivation, revisit steps one and two, and adjust your notes if necessary.
Step 5: Recognize Your Success
The last step is to reward yourself! Plan in advance how and when you’ll reward your progress, as this step is just as crucial as the others. If your goal involves healthy eating or completing a study module, your reward could be a massage, listening to your favorite music, reading a chapter of a beloved book, or watching an episode of a favorite show. Include this reward in your schedule to make sure you don’t skip it.
To wrap things up, I want to congratulate you. By reading this, you’ve already taken the first step, realizing that you want to change. Maybe you already know your why. If you're unsure how to make it all happen, start with these steps, and use the visual guide here to support your journey.
As a coach, facilitator, trainer, manager, and mom, I know how challenging it can be to make a change. However I also believe that any change that is really important to you, it will happen sooner or later. Go ahead and jump on the driver seat. You can do it. :)
