MSU Extension Food and Health

Many people start the new year with ambitious goals: take up running, save money or lose weight. Almost as common as making these resolutions is breaking them before the end of January. Imperfect starts may feel like a good reason to give up on a goal entirely, but you shouldn’t let them get in the way of making meaningful changes in your daily life. If your New Year’s resolutions have fallen by the wayside this year, here are practical steps you can take to get back on track toward achieving your goals.

Why resolutions go off track

While there are many types of New Year’s resolutions, there are a few common reasons that they fail. To understand these reasons, let's consider a goal of running 10 miles a week. 

The first reason this resolution might fail is because it may be too big of a change or the person making the resolution just is not prepared. For someone who does not run at all, ten miles will be a challenge. They may not have the correct shoes, and the running will leave them sore and tired at first. Instead, small and incremental changes are better to help build confidence and avoid frustration caused by tackling too much at once.

A second reason this resolution might fail is relying on motivation instead of habit. This person might run 10 miles on their first run of the year because they are motivated and excited to start their goal. The next week, still motivated, they might choose to split the miles across two runs. On the third week their motivation might start to decrease, and they procrastinate running all week. When the last day of the week comes, they are tired, unmotivated, and still have 10 miles ahead of them. This issue could be avoided by relying on developing a habit instead of relying on motivation. To be more successful, making new run habits (shorter, throughout the week) would be better than a larger goal.  

The final reason goals tend to fail is when someone has an “all-or-nothing” mindset. This type of mindset leads to thinking that if you cannot do something perfectly, you should not do it at all. In this example, if the runner gets busy and can only complete 7 miles one week, they will feel like they failed. After one less than perfect week, their motivation might dwindle and they could lose sight of the goal.

Now that you know about the common reasons resolutions fail, reflect on why you might have gotten stuck. This knowledge can help you reset and try your goal again.

Resetting your mindset

Early setbacks can feel especially challenging, but it is important to remember that progress is non-linear. The earliest months of the year can be the most difficult time to make a change in your life. Emotional and mental resources may be drained from deadlines and holidays at the end of year. Depending on where you live, the weather is often dark, cold, and gloomy, discouraging action.

Reassess and refine your goals

Now that you have acknowledged what went wrong and are ready to let go of mindsets that held you back, it is time to reassess your goals. Ask yourself which goals or parts of the goals are still meaningful. Are there resolutions that do not match your current circumstances? Maybe there are things you thought you would have the time, energy, or money to accomplish but you now know better. You can learn from what didn’t work. With these redefined goals, you can make a plan for your next steps.

Practical steps to get back on track

Getting back on track does not need to be daunting. You can start with one small step or habit today. Whether your goal is to eat one healthy meal a day or go on a short walk every morning, getting the ball rolling today will help you build momentum (and habits). It may also help to use a strategy like habit stacking to build your new habit into your routine. Habit stacking, a term coined by James Clear in his book Atomic Habits, is where you pair the new habit with something you already do regularly. For example, if your goal is to be more hydrated, you could drink a glass of water every time you brush your teeth.

It may also help to find a way to track your progress. There is an app out there for nearly anything you might want to track, or you could go with pen and paper tracking. The most important thing to look for in a tracking method is that it is simple and motivates you to keep up the habit.  

Sharing your goal with others can also give you the support and accountability to keep working toward a goal. Asking a friend to be an accountability partner can keep you both motivated. You could also consider joining a club or online community of people with the same goal. These people will be there to support you when your goal feels far away and celebrate with you when you reach milestones.

Start again, as many times as needed

It is okay to start your New Year’s resolution over as many times as you need to. Writing off your goal based on a few small setbacks discounts the work you have already put in. It is important to recognize the personal strength it takes to recommit to your goal.