Setting New Year's Resolutions that Actually Work in 2025

Ah, New Year’s Resolutions—the annual ritual of half-hearted promises whispered over a champagne flute as fireworks light the sky. “This is the year I’ll finally lose 20kg.” Or, “I’ll save $20,000.” Maybe even, “I’ll become fluent in Spanish by June!” If you’ve ever said something similar, there’s a good chance you’ve also completely forgotten what those goals were by February.

But don’t worry—you’re not alone. Most New Year’s Resolutions fail because they’re built on a wobbly foundation of enthusiasm, not strategy. In fact, most goals we set in the dying hours of December will usually require a sudden burst of discipline and focus that we’ve never once displayed at any stage in our lives prior to this moment. 

Make no mistake, I’m no anti-resolutionist. In fact, I think January 1 is a fantastic time to set goals. Is it any different to doing it on another day? Not really. But I’m not some Chad that has to yell “IF U WERE RELLY COMMITTED UD START RITE NOW!!”

There’s something about the fresh start of a new year that makes it a prime moment for reflection and ambition. There’s symbolism. There’s the feeling of turning a page. And for many of us, it might be the longest break from the grind of work that we get all year. 

But unless you rethink how you approach resolutions, you’re just setting yourself up for disappointment. So let’s dive in, debunk the myths, and craft a better way to set goals that actually stick.

Why Most Resolutions Fail

Ever wondered why your resolutions seem to evaporate faster than pool water off your deck at Christmas BBQ? Science can shed some light on this. Research shows that 91% of people who set New Year’s Resolutions abandon them before the end of the year, with most failing by mid-January.

Here’s why:

1. They’re Too Vague

Vagueness is the enemy of progress. According to a 2017 study published in the Journal of Clinical Psychology, people who set “specific and measurable goals” were 10 times more likely to succeed than those who set vague aspirations like “get fit” or “save money”.

2. They’re Unrealistic

Ambition is great, but resolutions often lean into fantasy territory. For example, deciding to save $20,000 this year while earning $60,000 without additional income streams is unlikely. Psychologists suggest that unrealistic goals lead to “goal disengagement,” where people abandon resolutions entirely because they feel unattainable. Not only will they abandon the goal and cease doing the good things that might have got them closer, but they may even start undoing the goal. It’s possible that the person with the goal to save $20,000 might have finished the year with $10,000 in savings but instead finished with nothing because they got disillusioned. Setting a more manageable goal would have been a better play from the beginning. 

3. They Lack a Roadmap

Goals without a plan are like a GPS without a destination, or a smiling politician without a camera crew. Research on goal-setting theory by Dr. Edwin Locke and Dr. Gary Latham highlights the importance of actionable steps. Without a clear plan, you’re more likely to procrastinate or lose focus.

A Better Approach: Define Goal Behaviours

Here’s the thing: goals aren’t reached by magic or sheer willpower. They’re the result of consistent, intentional actions. That’s why the best resolutions focus less on the big, shiny end goal and more on the day-to-day behaviours that get you there.

Step 1: Pick 1–4 Specific Goals

Be picky here. Don’t try to overhaul your entire life in one year—it’s a recipe for overwhelm. Instead, choose one to four goals that truly matter to you. Make them specific and meaningful.

For example:

• Bad Goal: “I’ll be healthier in 2025.”
• Good Goal: “I’ll run a 10km fun run in October.”

Specificity gives you a clear target and helps you stay focused.

Step 2: Identify Daily or Weekly Behaviours

Once you’ve defined your goals, ask yourself: What regular actions will move me toward this outcome?

For each goal, list 3–6 behaviours you can do daily or weekly. Here’s how it might look:

• Goal: Run a 5k by June.
• Goal: Save $10,000.

This behavioural focus is grounded in the science of habit formation. James Clear, in his book Atomic Habits, explains that small, consistent behaviours compound over time to produce significant results. (You really need to pick up that book by the way, it’s a cracker.)

Step 3: Track Your Progress

Measurement is motivation. A study from the American Psychological Association found that people who tracked their goals regularly were 42% more likely to succeed than those who didn’t.

Use a simple spreadsheet, a habit-tracking app, or even a good old-fashioned notebook to log your behaviours daily or weekly. Or, if you prefer convenience, download the spreadsheet I’ve linked at the end of this article. 

Keeping Yourself Accountable

Motivation can be like a sugar rush—intense and fleeting. It’s exciting at first, but it rarely lasts long enough to carry you through the tough grind of daily effort. That’s where accountability comes in. Accountability creates a structure to keep you consistent, even when the initial spark fades. Here’s how to build it into your resolution strategy:

Set Weekly Check-Ins

Consistency is key to progress, and weekly check-ins are your opportunity to evaluate how things are going. This practice is simple but powerful.

• Schedule It: Set a recurring alarm or calendar notification for the same day and time each week. Sunday nights work well for many people because they allow you to reflect on the past week and plan for the one ahead. I personally like to do a quick review Friday night with a final check Sunday night. That way if I’m behind on something (workouts, time with the kids, etc) I might be able to catch up over the weekend before my final check in with myself.
• Review Your Tracker: Take 10–15 minutes to review your goal tracker. This is your chance to compare what you intended to do with what you actually did. Did you complete the behaviours you set for yourself?
• Ask the Right Questions: Use this time for honest reflection. If you missed your targets, dig into the why:

Weekly check-ins aren’t just about accountability; they’re about learning. If something isn’t working, this is your chance to adjust without throwing in the towel.

Find an Accountability Partner

Humans are social creatures, and leveraging that social instinct can dramatically improve your chances of success. Studies have shown that people who share their goals with someone else are significantly more likely to follow through.

• Pick the Right Person: Your accountability partner doesn’t need to be an expert in your goal area—they just need to be someone you trust and who will reliably check in with you. It could be a friend, family member, or even a colleague. The key is choosing someone who will take your commitment seriously.
• Make It a Two-Way Street: Accountability partnerships work best when they’re mutual. If your partner has their own goals, commit to supporting each other. Sharing progress, setbacks, and tips can make the process feel collaborative rather than isolating.
• Set Regular Check-Ins: Arrange to touch base at least weekly. This can be a quick phone call, a WhatsApp message exchange, or even a coffee catch-up. Share your wins, admit your struggles, and discuss adjustments to keep things realistic and motivating.

Go Public

If one-on-one accountability doesn’t appeal to you, consider going public with your goals. This doesn’t mean broadcasting your deepest desires to the world, but sharing them with a group—whether it’s a social media community, a fitness group, or a team at work—can provide a different kind of accountability.

• Join a Community: Whether online or in-person, communities focused on shared goals offer built-in support and encouragement. Platforms like Reddit have threads for everything from fitness to personal finance, and apps like Strava connect people working toward fitness milestones.
• Leverage Social Media: If you’re comfortable, posting updates on platforms like Instagram or Twitter can keep you accountable. Publicly committing to a resolution makes it harder to quietly give up, and positive feedback can provide additional motivation.

Celebrate Small Wins

Accountability isn’t just about catching failures; it’s also about recognising progress. Acknowledge and celebrate your small wins. These moments of success are crucial for maintaining momentum and reinforcing the belief that you’re capable of achieving your goals.

• Treat yourself to something meaningful but aligned with your goal. For example, if you’re working on fitness, new gym shoes can double as motivation.
• Share your progress with your accountability partner or community—they’ll cheer you on and keep you energised.

By setting up a system for accountability, you’re not relying on willpower alone. You’re creating a safety net that helps you stay on track, learn from missteps, and ultimately, build habits that lead to success.

It’s Okay to Change Goals

Here’s a little secret no one mentions during the January 1 pep talks: it’s absolutely fine to change your goals. Seriously, you’re not a robot, and life isn’t one of those Netflix shows where everything goes according to script. If you’ve lived through more than one New Year, you already know this—life is messy, unpredictable, and always ready to throw you a curveball when you’re least expecting it.

What seemed urgent and meaningful when the clock struck midnight on January 1 can feel about as relevant as the 12-minute video of NYE fireworks on your phone by mid-year. And that’s okay! Changing your goals isn’t a sign of failure—it’s a hallmark of adaptability, and honestly, it’s how most successful people navigate the world.

When and Why You Might Change Goals

Sometimes the universe just has different plans for you. Here are a few classic scenarios:

• You Got Promoted and Now Have Zero Time: In January, you were pumped to learn Spanish, imagining yourself confidently ordering tapas on holiday in Barcelona. Fast forward to March, and you’ve been promoted to a role that has you working 60-hour weeks. The only Spanish you’re speaking now is yelling “Hola!” to your Uber Eats driver at 10 pm.
• You Planned to Work Out Daily… and Then You Got Injured: January-you was envisioning six-pack abs and daily gym selfies. June-you is wearing a knee brace and Googling “fun exercises to do while sitting down.” Prioritising rest and rehab might not feel as satisfying as crushing a HIIT class, but it’s what your body needs right now.
• You Just Don’t Care Anymore: Maybe you set a goal to read 52 books this year because everyone on your Instagram feed was flexing their literary ambitions. But by April, you realise you don’t want to plough through The Illiad—you’d rather binge a true-crime podcast. Newsflash: your goals are yours to adjust.

Changing Goals Is Not Giving Up

The self-help world likes to throw around phrases like “never quit” and “stay the course,” but let’s be real—sometimes, the course sucks. Maybe your priorities have shifted, maybe new opportunities have arisen, or maybe the original goal was just a bad idea (Looking at you, “dry January” during a summer wedding season).

Changing your goals is not giving up; it’s recalibrating. It’s like updating your GPS when you hit a detour. You’re still moving forward—just in a different direction.

How to Pivot Gracefully

1. Reassess What Matters Now: Ask yourself; Is this goal still important? Does it align with where I want to be this year? If the answer is no, don’t cling to it out of stubbornness. Let it go, Elsa.
2. Define a New Goal: Pivoting doesn’t mean abandoning ambition altogether. Replace the outdated goal with one that fits your current situation. For example; you injured your knee so you might swap the 10km fun run for putting 10kg on your max bench press. Or perhaps the promotion that sunk your Spanish goals might mean you can set a bigger savings goal so you can afford an even better European holiday next year.
3. Adjust Your Behaviours: Just as you did at the start of the year, define the daily or weekly actions that will help you achieve this new goal. Then, update your tracker so you can stay consistent.

The Upside of Changing Goals

When you adapt your goals to fit your life, you’re not just avoiding burnout—you’re also setting yourself up for greater satisfaction and success. Think about it: would you rather stubbornly chase a goal that no longer serves you or pour your energy into something that excites and motivates you?

Changing goals isn’t an admission of defeat; it’s a sign that you’re tuned in to your needs and priorities. And that, my friend, is what personal growth is all about.

So, the next time someone asks about your New Year’s Resolutions and you’ve made a pivot, own it with pride:

• “Learn Spanish? Nah, I’m focusing on acing my new job instead.”
• “Running every day? Nope, but I’m stronger than I've been in years.”

Because let’s be real—flexibility is your true superpower. And besides, you can always save “running a marathon” for next year. Or the year after that. Or never (my current plan).

Here's how I'm applying this in 2025

So, that's a lot of writing, but here's a practical example of how I'm applying this strategy in 2025. Some of my goals are very personal, but I'm happy to share one goal from my list: Achieving my Purple Belt in Brazilian JiuJitsu. Now, this is a tricky goal because ultimately it's up to my coach to determine when he wants to grade me, so it's a great one for me to focus on the necessary behaviours.

Over the past 10 years, my grappling training has been regularly disrupted by injuries, lack of time, or lack of prioritisation. As such, there some people that started at the same time as me who are now 2nd degree black belts while I'm still a blue belt!

Thankfully, I know what I need to do to get on track.

Target Behaviours:

1. Commit to attending class at least 3 times per week, and at least one open mat session per month.
2. Commit to performing prehab and mobility workouts 3 mornings per week.
3. Commit to a light stretch before bed every night.

Tracking

Every Sunday night, I'll review my actions towards this and my other goals. If I achieve all three of these things, I get a tick in the BJJ box for the week. My mini-goal is to make sure that 80% of my weeks (40/52) get ticks, but I'm realistic and know that I won't be perfect all the time.

Accountability

I'm sharing this goal with my kids and my training partners to keep me accountable (and now anyone who reads this article too, I guess.)

Chances of Success

Are these behaviours guaranteed to get me a purple belt? No, it's possible I'll still suck! However, there is no way that doing these things doesn't get me closer to my goal even if it doesn't happen in 2025 and that's ultimately what it's all about.

Turning Resolutions Into a Lifestyle

By now, you’ve probably realised that this approach isn’t just about New Year’s Resolutions—it’s a blueprint for personal growth. When you shift your mindset from “achieve big goals” to “commit to small, meaningful actions,” you unlock the kind of progress that lasts beyond January.

It’s not sexy. It won’t get you fireworks or applause. But it works.

References

1. American Psychological Association. (2015). Why we set goals—and why we fail.
2. Clear, J. (2018). Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones.
3. Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (1990). A Theory of Goal Setting & Task Performance.
4. Norcross, J. C., & Vangarelli, D. J. (1989). The resolution solution: Longitudinal examination of New Year’s change efforts.
5. Journal of Clinical Psychology. (2017). Goal setting for behavioural change: A meta-analysis.