Happy New Year, everybody. We’ve officially made it into a brand-new year, and hopefully you had a safe, happy, and restful holiday. With the new year comes a lot of pressure to “start fresh,” and for many people, that shows up as New Year’s resolutions.

So today, I want to talk about goal setting—and why most resolutions don’t work.

Here’s the reality: about 80% of New Year’s resolutions are abandoned within the first few weeks. If you don’t believe me, just go to the gym in January and then check back in a month. You’ll notice it thins out pretty quickly.

So why does this happen?

The Problem With New Year’s Resolutions

One of the biggest reasons resolutions fail is because they aren’t actually goals. Most resolutions are too vague. They sound good, but they’re not clearly defined.

Statements like:

• “I want to lose weight”
• “I want to be healthier”
• “I want to work on my mental health”

Those are intentions—not goals. And when a goal isn’t clear, it’s hard to stay motivated, consistent, or accountable.

What Makes a Goal a Goal?

A real goal is specific, measurable, and intentional.

For example, instead of saying, “I want to lose weight this year,” try saying:
“I want to lose 25 pounds.”

That immediately gives your brain something concrete to work toward.

Next, you want to add a timeline.
“I want to lose 25 pounds by August 1st.”

Now you’re not just hoping something happens—you’re creating a plan.

Break the Goal Into Actionable Steps

This is the part most people skip, and it’s why motivation drops off.

Once you know the goal and the timeline, you need to identify the steps along the way:

• Am I going to join a gym?
• Am I going to look up healthier recipes?
• Do I need to change my sleep habits?
• What routines or behaviors need to shift to support this goal?

When you break a big goal into smaller, realistic steps, it becomes much more manageable—and much more achievable.

Mental Health, Motivation, and Consistency

Whether your goal is related to mental health, physical health, stress management, or personal growth, the same principles apply. Real change doesn’t come from motivation alone—it comes from clarity, structure, and consistency.

If you’ve struggled with follow-through in the past, it doesn’t mean you’re lazy or failing. It usually just means the goal wasn’t clearly defined.

This Year, Try Something Different

So this year, instead of making resolutions, try turning them into real goals. Be specific. Add a timeline. Identify the steps. And then see what you’re actually capable of accomplishing when you give yourself a clear direction.

You might surprise yourself.