The new year always seems to invite big main-character energy. You know the drill: This is it. I’m finally going to drink more water, save more money, sleep like a well-adjusted adult, and maybe, just maybe, even learn a new language (here’s looking at you, Duolingo!).
But if you’re not careful, the “New Year, new me” mantra can backfire if it pushes you into perfectionism or all-or-nothing thinking. Setting goals can absolutely be grounding and motivating (especially during these rather unsettling/uncertain times), but for many people, resolutions can quickly turn into a source of pressure rather than joy.
The good news? Switching up your habits isn’t about suddenly becoming a brand-new version of yourself on January 1. It’s about setting goals that actually match your lifestyle, not some Insta-worthy version of it.
Often, what we don’t realize is that the problem isn’t that we aren’t capable of sticking to our resolutions. The problem is that we need to do a better job making new year goals that are actionable and achievable. Otherwise, it’s almost like setting yourself up to fall short.
“Change is hard. We are creatures of habit,” June Kloubec, PhD, an associate professor of kinesiology at Seattle University, tells SELF. “Unless you are very motivated, have good social support, and have the right environment, it is difficult to make lasting behavior changes.”
Experts agree: Successful resolutions aren’t solely about willpower—they’re about strategy, self-compassion and realistic planning. Below, find evidence-based, expert-backed tips to help you create goals you can actually sustain in the year ahead.
How to set achievable new year goals
You’ve likely heard of SMART goals (specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely). It’s a framework that’s commonly used in workplaces and by fitness and mental health pros alike to help clients set doable goals. SMART goals work because they’re concrete, not vague.
For example: “I’ll move my body for 30 minutes twice a week” versus “I’ll start working out more.”
The first one lays out a goal that’s specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. The second one is vague and provides no clear direction for how you’re going to do it. Of course, you’ll also want to think about details, like when this workout will fit best into your schedule, what activity you will actually look forward to doing, and more. But thinking within the SMART framework first is a great way to get started formulating your goals. Start with that structure and then build upon it with the following tips.
13 additional tips for making New Year’s resolutions stick
If you want to set yourself up for the best chance of success, start with these helpful tips for making better resolutions you can actually stick to. They all keep the tenets of SMART goal-setting in mind but take them one step further to give you even more detailed and specific advice.
1. Start small. No, even smaller.
Oversized goals such as “save money,” “get fit,” “read 50 books,” all feel inspiring in the moment…and quickly become overwhelming a week later.The first key to success is zeroing in on one goal, not three. Then do a quick reality check.
“Often we come up with a lot of goals that feel attainable in theory, but don’t align with our current day-to-day responsibilities,” says Ashantis Jones, MEd, LPC, NCC, CPT. “Ensure when you’re getting specific about your goal, that they’re also realistic.”
Are you really going to be able to read a book a week if your busy schedule currently makes it hard to fit in one a month? Unlikely. And that’s fine! But committing to reading two books a month instead of four could be a good place to start.
2. Know whether specific numbers are helpful or harmful to you.
Everyone has their own sweet spot on the qualitative-to-quantitative scale. For some people, SMART goals can be really motivating. For others, numbers can feel too rigid and intense and can even be triggering or unhealthy.
“It’s possible to set really great healthy goals even if you’re someone who has dealt with disordered relationships with eating or exercise in the past, but you need to put your mental health first and make sure the goal you’re setting is actually going to serve you,” Anna Maltby, certified personal trainer, health journalist, and author of the antidiet fitness newsletter How to Move, tells SELF. “I’m not saying numbers are always bad or dangerous, just that it’s very individual, and it’s important to know where you are on this spectrum. If you have a therapist, it’s a great idea to speak with them about your health goals and ask for their help tweaking them to make sure they’ll actually support your wellbeing.”
3. Write down your goals (yes, really).
People who write down their goals feel a greater sense of accountability and have a much higher chance of accomplishing them, Elizabeth Ward, PhD, psychologist and performance coach and consultant in Boston, tells SELF. Post your goals on your fridge, write them in dry-erase marker on the bathroom mirror, or write them down in a journal.
Journaling can also help you reflect on your progress, Dr. Kloubec says. “Honest reflection can help you to see how you may be sabotaging yourself or to recognize patterns of behavior.” (Check out our picks for the best notebooks and journals out there.)
4. Set yourself up for success.
When it comes to healthy behaviors, most of us need to front-load the effort to make them easier to execute. What does that look like in action? Planning everything in advance. That means planning the prep time and cleanup time you need to cook a meal. Or keeping your water bottle, sneakers, keys, and coat in the same place so they’re ready to go when you’re heading to the gym.
“The thing is, if you’re tired or a little nervous about trying something new, or just not in the mood, you have a lot of mental gymnastics to go through anyway to get yourself to do it—take all that extra stuff off your own plate in advance so your brain can focus on reminding yourself, ‘I’m tired, but this workout might give me some energy—let’s just go,’” Maltby says.
5. Make your resolutions public.
You might be more likely to achieve your resolutions if you make them public. “Sharing our goals holds us accountable, so it’s harder to back out,” John Norcross, PhD, professor and chair of psychology at the University of Scranton SUNY Upstate Medical University, tells SELF. Obviously, it’s okay to change your mind after making a resolution public and realizing it’s not sustainable, or it’s actually making you unhappy or more stressed in a way that really doesn’t feel worth it or productive. But if you’re really hoping to change certain habits in the long-term, going public might be a good idea.
While sharing with your journal and bathroom mirror help, too, they don’t count as “other people.” Tell your best friend about your New Year’s resolution, and check in with them regularly to chat about it and make sure you’re on track. Better yet, get them on board so you’re both working toward the same goal.
6. Plan your follow-through.
Your resolution should never just be another item on your to-do list. At first, your goal was new and exciting, so you were inspired to make time for it; three weeks in, the novelty may wear off, Emanuel Maidenberg, PhD, clinical professor of psychiatry and director of the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Clinic at the University of California in Los Angeles, tells SELF. “If each morning you have to find a way to make your goal happen, you’re more likely to decide based on whether you feel like doing it, which we rarely do,” Dr. Maidenberg says.
Instead of relying on pure desire or willpower each day, plan ahead. Plot out a monthly budget or schedule a week’s worth of workouts each Sunday so you don’t have to think about how to fit it all in.
7. Understand that your goals may never become habits.
In behavioral science, habits are considered truly automatic behaviors (like buckling up as soon as you get in a car…hopefully). But you have to remember that most of the goals we set at New Year’s are going to involve behavior that’s a bit more complicated than that.
“We have to overcome obstacles to perform the behaviors, whether it’s something external like driving to the gym, or something more internal like dealing with our nerves or tiredness,” Maltby says. “I know it might sound sort of defeatist to say, ‘That’s never going to become a habit!’ but in reality acknowledging that these healthy behaviors are always going to be at least a little hard can help us manage our own expectations and realize that we have to legitimately prepare to do them.”
8. Check in with yourself regularly.
Reassessing your goal throughout the weeks and months it takes to get there is essential. Once you start making changes, you may find your original goal was a little unrealistic. Instead of sticking with it once you find it’s probably not possible, feel free to tweak the goal as you see fit. “I would encourage people to, even after a month, reevaluate their goals,” Dr. Ward says. Look at your lifestyle and revise your goals to make sure they really fit in, she suggests, adding, “then share with the person that you’re sharing accountability with, or write it down.”
9. Celebrate small successes.
If your focus is just on the endgame, it’s easy to feel discouraged when progress plateaus around the one-month mark, Dr. Kubiak says. That’s why it’s crucial to recognize and reward the smaller successes along the way. If your goal is to run a half-marathon, don’t save the party for the finish line. After each long run, reward yourself with a good book, new music, or fancy latte from your favorite coffee shop. To help you track important milestones and stay motivated along the way, use your journal or goal-tracking app.
10. Give yourself grace.
Let’s face it: Life gets in the way sometimes and it’s impossible to execute our goals perfectly. Instead of giving up altogether (that all-or-nothing mentality), find a way to be flexible.
“Maybe your goal was to do three strength workouts a week, but you have a sick kid at home. Are resistance bands a perfect substitute for heavy weights? No. But is a 20-minute resistance band workout at home better than not doing anything? Definitely,” Maltby says.
11. Remember that growth can also mean doing less.
In today’s society, you may be tempted to make every goal about self-improvement. But that doesn’t necessarily have to be the case.
“Your goals don’t always have to be about learning a new skill or building a new habit,” Jones says. “Sometimes they can be about releasing things that no longer serve us. Finding yourself overwhelmed when you pick up your phone? Maybe it’s time to lower your screen/scrolling time. Want to save more money? You may be able to by simply buying less.”
12. Build rest and recovery into your goals.
Our culture often glorifies doing more, but rest is just as vital.
“If achieving all of your goals means you’re sacrificing having time to sleep and recharge, they may not be as realistic as you thought,” Jones says. “Our nightly rest is meant to repair and prepare our body for the day ahead. It is not something we should do, it is something we must prioritize to protect ourselves.”
13. Believe in yourself.
“People say that they want to make a resolution, but they don’t believe that they can actually accomplish it,” Dr. Kloubec says. If you know you’re capable of making your desired change, then believe it wholeheartedly. “If not, rethink how you can phrase or reformat your resolution” to be something that you’re confident you can achieve, Dr. Kloubec adds.
When you reach your goal, it’s time to celebrate, of course. But it’s also time to plan how you’ll stick with it moving forward. Making a budget, eating for better heart health, or getting into a regular fitness routine are all positive lifestyle changes that are worth sticking with for more than just the year. Use your sense of accomplishment to further fuel your healthy habits so that you can keep feeling good—and proud of how you’ve bettered yourself—for years to come.
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