Every January, the same routine unfolds. Social media is plastered with “new year, new me” declarations, journals and planners that sell out, and gyms are filled, making it impossible to find a machine. While January offers promises of reinvention and building new habits, it seems that by February or even sooner, these habits and goals seem to dissolve. This isn’t because of laziness or lack of will power, it is merely a flaw within the structure of New Year’s resolutions. I find that new year’s resolutions are not sustainable for long-term change. As someone that spent many years making lists of goals that ended up not being fulfilled around New Years, I found that there are better ways to make sure goals make it past January and are foundational throughout life.
The Problem with Time-Based Motivation
New year’s resolutions heavily revolve around timing where January first becomes a day celebrated as a meaningful breakpoint, and motivation renews itself based on the calendar. In reality, motivation does not work this way. It fluctuates daily and is deeply shaped by stress, mental health, and environment. When goals are anchored to a single moment in time rather than integrated into our everyday systems, they become less foundational and more fragile. Once the emotional momentum of the “new year, new me” mentality fades, the behaviour has nothing stable to rest on. Resolutions then become an event rather than a process. One thing I struggled with when it came to new year’s resolutions was discipline because of the nature of resolutions. I had to learn that discipline is more linear while motivation is situational and experiences dips. For example, achieving my fitness goals relied on me, showing up consistently rather than on how motivated I was that day. There are days that are going to be less motivational or at times you may not feel up to it, but showing up for yourself in a disciplined manner allows goals to not fade out.
What Actually Sustains Goals
Goals are not built based on dates or declarations; they are built on systems and identity. Instead of asking “What do I want to achieve this year?”, a reframed question would be “What kind of person do I want to become?”, and what steps would help me become that person. Goals that are gradual are often the most successful through consistency and mangle behaviours. Long-term success also depends on the environment. People who sustain goals tend to design their surroundings to reduce friction. Referring back to sustaining my fitness goals, I re-designed my routine and environment to sustain my goal. These changes reduced my reliance on motivation and made progress more sustainable even when motivation was lacking.
Rethinking The New Year Narrative
The idea that meaningful change must begin on January 1st is comforting, but it can be misleading. It encourages goals built on motivation rather than consistency and discipline. True change happens inch by inch, creating true transformation. Letting go of only relying on the new year to make resolutions can be a step towards an honest and manageable relationship with growth. Let the new year become a day of continuing to build upon existing habits and encourage you to stay consistent rather than perfect. Ultimately, you don’t fail your resolutions; they were never designed to sustainably last.