By: Nick Brown PT, DPT, OCS
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Whether you call it a New Year’s resolution, an intention, or simply a focus for the year, millions of people use January 1st as a reset button. A fresh calendar feels like the perfect opportunity to change habits, chase goals, and become a better version of ourselves.
Unfortunately, the odds aren’t exactly in our favor.
Only about 9% of New Year’s resolutions are successful, and nearly a quarter fail within the first week. We all love the idea of getting stronger, faster, harder to kill, and looking better in our birthday suit! But if that’s the case, why does it feel so hard to follow through?
Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail
The biggest reason? Habits are hard to change.
Humans are creatures of habit. Our daily routines have been reinforced through days, months, years, and sometimes decades of repetition. Asking your brain and body to suddenly do something different takes time, consistency, and patience.
Research shows it can take anywhere from 18 to 264 days to establish a new routine, with an average of about 66 days. Several factors influence how quickly a habit sticks and how long it lasts, including:
- Consistency of performance
- Complexity of the routine
- Accountability
- Motivation
- Reducing barriers to compliance
Understanding this upfront helps set realistic expectations and can prevent discouragement when progress isn’t instant.
Use SMART Goals to Set Yourself Up for Success
One of the most effective ways to make resolutions stick is by creating SMART goals:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Achievable
- Realistic
- Timely
What SMART Goals Really Mean
Let’s break this down using the common goal of “getting in shape.”
- Specific: Ask yourself: Who, what, when, where, and why?
- Measurable: Can you track progress? Distance, time, frequency, or intensity all work.
- Achievable: Do you have what you need to start: time, equipment, access?
- Realistic: Is this goal reasonable given your current abilities, limitations, and schedule?
- Timely: Set both short-term and long-term targets.
Example:
- Short-term: Jog 3 times per week for 20 minutes
- Long-term: Jog 3 miles without rest breaks or pain within 2 months
Instead of saying “I want to get in shape,” a SMART goal sounds like this:
“I am going to jog 3 miles without rest breaks or pain within 2 months in order to improve my health.”
With supporting sub-goals like:
“I will perform jog/walk workouts three times per week.”
Clear goals reduce overwhelm and help you recognize progress along the way.
How to Make New Habits Easier to Maintain
Reduce Friction in Your Routine
Success is often less about motivation and more about reducing friction.
- Choose a location that’s close to home or work. There’s a significantly higher success rate when your routine location is within 5 miles.
- Pick a time of day when motivation comes more naturally.
- Don’t force yourself to become a morning person if you’re not one.
The easier it is to show up, the more likely you will.
Choose Activities You Actually Like
You don’t have to suffer to make progress. If you hate swimming, it’s probably not the best way to get in shape, no matter how good it sounds on paper.
- Pick activities (or parts of activities) you already enjoy
- Gamify your routine with apps or challenges
- Work out with friends
- Incentivize yourself if needed. Yes, rewards are allowed!
If it’s fun, you’ll stick with it longer.
Build Accountability Into Your Plan
Accountability can dramatically improve compliance.
- Enlist a friend who will motivate, or lovingly heckle, you into showing up
- Use tools like:
- Calendars
- To-do list apps (e.g. Todoist)
- Google Calendar reminders
- Whiteboards
The more visible and structured your routine is, the harder it is to ignore.
Start Your Fitness and Health Goals With Professional Support
Lasting change doesn’t come from willpower alone. It comes from realistic expectations, thoughtful planning, and consistent effort over time. Be patient with yourself, focus on progress rather than perfection, and remember that routines take time to build.
This year, aim for resolutions that don’t just sound good on January 1st, but ones that still work on March 1st. Let us help you get started with physical therapy, group classes, and/or personal training!
Resources
Singh, B., et al. Time to Form a Habit: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Health Behaviour Habit Formation and Its Determinants. Healthcare (Basel). 2024 Dec 9;12(23):2488. doi: 10.3390/healthcare12232488
