Why Are New Year’s Resolutions So Hard to Keep?

With the right psychological approach, short-lived intentions can gain new life

You can bet many people’s New Year’s celebrations involve resolutions. The chance to start fresh by knocking out those unhealthy habits, renewing efforts on lapsed goals and pursuing deferred dreams is a powerful incentive.

Unfortunately, by the end of January, many resolutions are sputtering. By mid-February, they are gone. Every year we make them and every year we break them. Research bears this out as does anecdotal evidence. Just think of friends, colleagues or family members who resolve to eat better, exercise more or curb their spending. How far along are they in their goals?

Is it a waste of time and emotional investment to make a resolution? How can you resolve not to break your New Year’s resolutions?

Unfortunately, there is no magic wand, but the field of psychology can provide insights into why resolutions fail, how to create resolutions that work, how to manage motivation and how to sustain the change you seek.

Why Resolutions Fail

There is a power to a fresh start, and resolutions made at the dawn of a new year can carry energy and hope. But they often fail because of several reasons.

“Individuals set lofty goals, or goals that are overly ambitious. Therefore, when these goals are not met, people quickly assume they have failed,” said Lisa Smith, an assistant teaching professor of psychology at Sacred Heart University and a clinical psychologist. “In addition, individuals should consider whether their goals are realistic, whether they have the necessary resources to meet them and whether they have the ability, skill set or support in place to overcome obstacles or hiccups that might arise in working towards their goals.”

Sacred Heart’s psychology degree programs, including undergraduate and graduate, prepare students for careers in diverse fields, including counseling—as well as law, marketing research and human resources.

“When psychologists work with clients, they can discuss whether their goals need to be modified or broken down into smaller steps that can lead to greater success,” Smith said. It simply can be a matter of setting unrealistic expectations. In the previous 12 months, if you’ve hit the gym once every month, resolving to work out every day is a bit ambitious. You might visualize your future self as committed to daily fitness, but your present self needs some more attainable and realistic goals to get there, such as simply pledging to attend a fitness class twice a week.

When the sought-for dream is a big one, you run the risk of creating a “big-picture” resolution, such as “I am going to study abroad this year.” This may be too vague to impact motivation or behavior. It’s better to look at the smaller picture and list the steps that will get you into that program and on that plane.

And nearly everyone is challenged when the initial excitement fades. This often leads to inconsistent motivation. Willpower can only get you so far. Building sustainable habits is also a power. This practice helps you to modify your behavior. What you hope to be and do becomes second nature.

How to be SMART About Resolutions

There is a psychology behind setting goals and counseling professionals who help people realize their aspirations often use a framework to achieve success, Smith said. It’s known as SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound).

“Goal setting is rooted in behaviorism,” she said. “Psychologists teach clients how to use self–monitoring techniques to keep track of their desired behaviors. In doing so, individuals can observe their patterns of behavior, identify successes and possibly help them to anticipate obstacles to success.”

When a goal is clear, with precise details of what you want to accomplish, progress can be tracked. When a goal is realistic, with a time limit that’s doable, it’s easier to achieve. When a goal aligns with your unique long-term goals or short-term needs, it becomes more relevant. When a deadline is set, it can keep you on task and help you avoid distractions.

If a Sacred Heart student wanted to study abroad, rather than a generic resolution of “I want to study abroad,” a SMART resolution would be this: “I will meet with my adviser in global engagement. I will then research study abroad options for 20 minutes each week for the next month. At the end, I will create a list of where I want to go, what I’ll need to prepare for travel and the deadlines to apply.”

How to stay motivated

By breaking goals into smaller and more manageable steps, the finish line doesn’t seem as daunting. A broad resolution of “exercise more” may not be as easy to achieve as a promise to “take three gym classes a week.”

There are apps that can track the progress of New Year’s resolutions. Perhaps the most organic of motivation comes when you connect the resolution to a distinct benefit. Are you saving money to buy a car? Are you resolving to sleep more to do better in class? Have you committed to joining a club because you want to find others who share your interests?

Accountability is crucial, too. If you want to start training for a marathon, you don’t necessarily need a running partner. But you could use a friend who checks weekly to see if you met your mileage goals.

A month has passed since we made our resolutions for 2025, but it’s not too late to take advantage of Professor Smith’s advice. Choose some small steps that will lead to the big dream you want to make come true.

Interested in working in psychology and helping others achieve their greatest potential?

Sacred Heart offers a Bachelor of Science in psychology and a minor in psychology, as well as graduate programs, including SHU's Master of Science in industrial/organizational (I/O) psychology. Psychology students can also explore tailored programs that provide undergraduate to graduate degree pathways based on career interest, including those in law, public health, occupational therapy and physical therapy.

You can learn more about SHU’s psychology opportunities by reaching out to undergraduate admissions, emailing enroll@sacredheart.edu or calling 203-371-7880.