According to Forbes, nearly 8 out of 10 people abandon their New Year’s resolutions by February, often due to unrealistic expectations and early burnout. This happens because people set overly ambitious goals driven by New Year pressure, rather than realistic, sustainable intentions.
Setting realistic expectations also plays a key role. If your goal is to go to the gym five days a week, it’s okay to start with two. The same applies to restarting therapy – focusing first on showing up regularly rather than doing it “perfectly” often leads to better long-term outcomes.
Another helpful shift is to think of resolutions in terms of identity rather than tasks. For example, restarting therapy can be reframed as choosing to be someone who values mental hygiene and emotional wellbeing. When a resolution is tied to how you see yourself, it becomes more meaningful and easier to sustain.
Finally, regular check-ins help prevent resolutions from quietly fading away. Reviewing your progress every few weeks or once a month – whether on your own or with an accountability partner – can keep your intentions visible. Simple reminders, such as notes, calendars, or vision boards, also help keep goals top of mind beyond January.
Try to find a way to measure your resolutions – be it fitness, travel, being social, spending time with family etc.
Once you have a goal, plan the calendar. Depending on what your goal is, you may need to plan a few hours in a day or a few days in a month – but sit down with a calendar and come out with a timetable that gives you the confidence that you will achieve your goals (Dec 3rd week)
Here’s the biggest trick – start your resolution a week in advance. Tying behaviour change to that magical day of Jan 1st leads to high expectations and stress. Leave schedules add to the complexity. And in case you don’t start on Jan 1st, you tend to get demotivated. Start a week early, and even if you get 2 to 3 days of a changed routine – it will give you the confidence to keep going.
Remember to review progress regularly. Progress can be outcomes (such as I went to the gym 4 out 7 days) or can be efforts (I spent 4 hours this week planning for my weekend travel). Even if you get 80% progress, appreciate yourself for it and keep it going. Remember, great is the enemy of good.
Don’t write a checklist of everything you will change. Take a breath, feel safe, be normal, be present in reality, be honest, rest, do as much as you can and then close for the day. And then do it again the next day. And the day following the last. Being alive isn’t a goal or a place you reach one day. It’s not only on New Year’s Day.
Read the full story that first appeared in Our Bangalore dated Jan 10-16, 2026 here:
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