How to Achieve Your New Year's Resolutions: Science of Habit Change and SMART Goals
Every January, millions of people set New Year's resolutions, filled with optimism and excitement for self-improvement. We envision a "new" version of ourselves—slimmer, wealthier, more sociable—believing that small adjustments, like going to the gym or cutting back on lattes, will bring big rewards. But by February, many of us have abandoned these goals, realizing that the changes we thought would be simple are harder to maintain than we imagined.
According to a January 2024 article in Scientific American, only about 9% of people actually keep their New Year's resolutions. This low success rate often comes down to a lack of understanding of how human behavior change works. Changing habits takes more than willpower; it requires consistent effort, ease, and smart strategies. The good news? Once you understand the science behind it, resolutions need not be confined to one time of year.
To successfully change a habit, the first thing to understand is that repetition is key. Change happens when you commit to doing something every day, without fail. For instance, I drink coffee every morning because it’s a habit I’ve built over years. Ask me to replace it with green tea, and while it’s possible, it will require intentional effort to do so. Repetition makes behaviors automatic, and that’s what turns resolutions into lasting habits.
The second factor is ease. The more difficult a change, the harder it is to sustain. Take going to the gym four times a week—it requires waking up earlier, committing more time, and changing routines. Instead, aim for a simple, small change that’s easy to repeat. Author Stephen Guise’s book Mini Habits: Smaller Habits, Bigger Results illustrates this perfectly with his story of doing just one pushup a day. The simplicity of that action built momentum, eventually leading to a full exercise routine.
Lastly, creating SMART goals can make a big difference. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. Instead of saying "I want to exercise more," a SMART goal would be "I will walk for 10 minutes every day at 6 p.m." This is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant to your overall health goals, and time-bound, increasing your likelihood of success.
While methods like the 21-day habit rule may work for some, the underlying principles of habit change remain the same. Focus on daily repetition, make the process as easy as possible, and use SMART goals to guide your efforts. With this approach, your New Year’s resolutions can become long-lasting habits, not just fleeting hopes.
References:
Guise, Stephen. (2013, Dec. 22). Mini Habits: Smaller Habits, Bigger Results. Create Space Independent Publishing Platform. https://a.co/d/g6pKmhh.
Solis-Moreira, Jocelyn. (2024, Jan 24). How long does it really take to form a habit? Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-long-does-it-really-take-to-form-a-habit/.