As the last holiday decorations are boxed away, excitement rises for the start of a new year. For many, New Year’s symbolizes a fresh start: new opportunities, new habits, and new hopes. One tradition that reflects this spirit is creating resolutions. 

A New Year’s resolution, in simple terms, is a personal promise or goal that is set at the start of the year to improve oneself. Resolutions can range from eating healthier to saving money and even reducing social media usage. 

The purpose of setting New Year’s resolutions is to foster immense optimism, discipline, and personal growth. However, they’re only effective when followed through, and research shows they rarely last. “A 2023 poll from Forbes Health found most people give up resolutions after less than four months,” says CBS reporter Sara Monisuzko. There are countless reasons as to why this happens, but here are a few: 

Unrealistic expectations  

According to senior Kennedy Bordelon and junior Logan Reece, nine times out of 10 the cause of failed resolutions is the tendency to create extreme or overly ambitious goals. “The idea of a resolution always sounds great, but the actual follow-through is much harder than you initially thought,” explained Bordelon. “When I was younger, I made goals I knew weren’t realistic. I’d tell myself I’d start dieting even though I knew I’d end up at Chick-fil-A in 0.2 seconds.” 

Freshman Bella Ulloa shared a similar anecdote. “Last year, my resolution was to go to the gym six days a week…terrible idea. Going from no exercising for months to exercising almost the whole week was the worst experience ever. I could feel my body screaming at me to stop after the first week, so I quit.”  

This is the case for many others. Often times when expectations are set too high, the pressure becomes overwhelming, and the resolution collapses before it even begins. “A better alternative would be to break up your highly ambitious goal into smaller parts. For example, instead of saying ‘I’ll stop eating chocolate forever,’ limit yourself to one chocolate bar a week,” advised Reece.  

Resolutions without action  

Another major reason resolutions fail is due to a lack of consistent follow-through. The gap between intention and action is a struggle many endure. It’s much easier to make a plan than to follow it. 

“I’ve experienced this firsthand,” said Bordelon, “My resolution for 2024 was to reduce my procrastination. At the start, I kept up with it for a few months using planners and reminders. However, eventually, I slipped back into old habits. The temptation of sleep over schoolwork was hard to ignore.”  

In order to overcome this pattern, Reece recommends choosing goals you’re genuinely interested in. “That way, you’ll have passion and drive to keep you motivated,” he explains. 

Competing responsibilities  

The final significant factor in failed resolutions is the difficulty of balancing existing obligations with new goals. Many people already have taxing schedules filled with schoolwork, jobs, sports, and family responsibilities, which make it troublesome to maintain a persistent effort in new habits.  

Reece described this struggle through his attempt to return to an old hobby. “Last year, I regained my passion for chess. However, once summer started and I began working more hours, it became challenging to keep up, so I took a short break,” he explained.  

Taking a break can be a healthy way to remain stress free while working towards new goals. “Though, it’s important to return to your goals instead of letting your break turn into forever,” cautioned Ulloa. 

Although resolutions traditionally fade, the reasons behind their failure reveal a clear path ahead: realistic expectations, consistent effort, and manageable routines. With these practices put in place, resolutions become far more achievable and sustainable.