Why Your New Year’s Resolutions Will End In Failure
And the things you need to know to make your new year’s resolutions a success.
Richie Norton says, “Most people will passively do exactly what they did last year. Whatever you do, don’t let that person be you.”
People get too excited about a new year, especially for the first one or two months. They set new, fancy, and, sometimes, unrealistic resolutions with a hope to bring changes in their life. They say — we want a fresh start.
Then, a time comes — when everything gets normal. New resolutions go into the gutter, and you become the same you you were in the last year. Eventually, you see that nothing has actually changed.
So you long for another fresh start and develop another new year’s resolution that (most probably) ends in failure as well. And the cycle continues.
But why does this happen all the time that you set new year’s resolutions only to bite the dust? What does go wrong?
You Just Copy Paste Other’s Vague Resolutions
According to Psychotherapist Jonathan Alpert, one of the major reasons why people fail at keeping their new year’s resolutions is that their resolutions are not specific enough. And you know why does it happen? It happens because you blindly follow others while setting your own resolutions.
For example, a huge number of people set their new year’s resolutions like this —
- I will lose weight
- I will save more money
- I will have a new job
- blah, blah, blah, …
Ask any people. They will share their new year’s resolutions like that — a vague, hazy one with no specificity. But if you want to really keep your new year’s resolutions and make impactful changes in your life, your resolutions must be specific enough.
Specific resolution seems like this —
- I will lose 10 lbs every four months. And by December 2022, I will lose 30 lbs and be in shape. Here is my quarterly plan.
- I will save at least USD 1000 every month, and by December 2022, I will have at least USD 12,000 in my pocket. Here is my monthly saving plan.
Can you see the difference?
When you set a specific timeline and divide your goals into smaller and more manageable milestones, it becomes easier for you to achieve that. It also keeps you on track.
But wait!
Before setting your specific resolutions, you must have a clear understanding of what changes you want to bring in your life and why. It’s because most people have no clue about it.
You Lack a Strong ‘Why’ and Search for a ‘Quick Fix’
Another crucial reason why your new year’s resolutions end in failure is that you always search for a quick fix instead of understanding what you really need in the long run.
Resolutions that are made to get a quick fix to your problem can give you momentary pleasure. But it’s actually detrimental to your personal growth.
For example, at the beginning of the year, you may get pumped up to hit the gym to be in shape. Say you’ve got the desired shape after three months of exercise. Now, if you think you achieved what you were looking for and discontinue visiting the gym, can you guess what may happen? I hope you are getting my point.
You must avoid setting this kind of quick-fix resolution. Instead, you have to dive deeper and understand your why.
Ask yourself, why do you need to hit the gym in the first place? If the answer is to keep your body healthy and functional, then choose the right exercises and be consistent. Keep the mentality to turn it into your habit.
You Misjudge Your Ability and Set Unrealistic Resolutions
Many of us — out of momentary excitements — set unrealistic new year’s resolutions. We misjudge our abilities and aim for something that is beyond our reach. And while setting this kind of resolution, we tell ourselves to aim big and blah blah blah.
Remember, it’s always better to set realistic resolutions and then keep them than failing at keeping some fancy things.
Unrealistic resolutions put too much pressure on yourself, and you feel suffocated and, sometimes, guilty when you fail to keep them.
So, stop being overambitious and keep your feet on the ground. Set realistic and specific new year’s resolutions, frame them with positivity, and stick to them to bring positive changes in your life.
Researchers at Harvard Medical School suggest that if you want to make a long-lasting change, it must be self-motivated and rooted in positive thinking. But when it comes to setting new year’s resolutions, we often forget that and blindly copy others.
We set new year’s resolutions only because others are doing that. Then with time, we lose the energy to keep continuing our fancy resolutions. We unnecessarily put the burden on ourselves and then encounter the guilt of breaking our new year’s resolutions. And it certainly feels terrible.
Remember, it’s okay if you don’t have a new year’s resolution. On the contrary, it means that your life is perfectly alright and there is no need to put extra pressure on yourself.
But if you really want to create one, then take your ability into account and set realistic and clear resolutions that can positively impact your life.
Thank you for reading.
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