How to ACTUALLY stick to your New Years resolutions

The start of a new year is the perfect time for a fresh start—a chance to reset, refocus, and figure out what we want to achieve over the next 12 months.

It’s exciting to think about all the possibilities.

But here’s the unfortunate truth: 43% of New Year’s resolutions fail within the first month.

The Excitement vs. The Reality

We’ve all been there.

At the beginning of the year, you're pumped up, committed, and ready to take on the world.

You set your goals and stick to them every day.

But then, time passes.

You don’t see the results you were expecting, and slowly but surely, the excitement fades.

Momentum drops, and before you know it, you’ve ditched your goal altogether.

So, what went wrong?

The Problem: Focusing on the End Result

The issue isn’t your goal itself—it’s how we approach it.

Most of us focus too much on the end result.

We’re so fixated on the big picture that we overlook the process.

Without a solid plan for how to get there, it’s easy to burn out or lose motivation when progress doesn’t happen as quickly as we imagined.

The Solution: Focus on the Process, Not Just the Outcome

To actually stick to your goals, you need to focus on the process, not just the end result.

Instead of setting a vague goal like "I want to get fit" or "I want to read 30 books this year," break it down into smaller, manageable steps that you can incorporate into your daily routine.

Small, consistent changes are far more effective than going all-in for a week and burning out.

You don’t need to overhaul your entire life overnight.

Instead, focus on building habits that will lead you to your desired outcome over time.

Start with Small, Sustainable Habits

Let’s say your goal is to read 30 books this year.

Instead of stressing over the total number, focus on completing one book at a time.

Build the habit of reading every day, even if it's just for 10 minutes.

The more you make it a regular part of your day, the easier it becomes, and the results will follow.

Conclusion: Build the Behaviour, and the Results Will Follow

The key to achieving your New Year’s resolutions is not to fixate on the outcome, but to build the behaviour first.

Start small, stay consistent, and trust that the results will come as a natural byproduct of your habits.

This way, you're not relying on motivation to keep you going—you're creating a system that makes success inevitable.

Want to read more about habits and building them? James Clear's book Atomic Habits is my number 1 recommendation.