How to Set and Actually Stick to Resolutions This Year

Key Takeaways

• Most resolutions fail because they're vague, rigid, or disconnected from daily life, not because of a lack of motivation or willpower.
• Sustainable change is more likely when goals are specific and realistic, and when they are supported by small habits, flexible plans, and systems that fit your routine.
• Tracking progress, staying adaptable, and focusing on meaning rather than perfection can help you stick with healthy habits well beyond January.

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Every January, many New Year's Resolutions are made only to unravel and be forgotten weeks later. Research suggests that as many as 80% of people abandon their resolutions within the first month.¹ When that happens, it's easy to assume the problem is a lack of motivation or discipline. The reality is that most resolutions don't fail because of a lack of willpower; they fail because they weren't designed to fit real life.

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Lasting change depends more on how goals are structured than on how motivated you feel on January 1. Resolutions that are meaningful, realistic, and broken down into manageable habits are easier to sustain day to day, especially when life gets busy. In this article, we share science-backed tips to help you stick with your new healthy habits all year long.

Why Resolutions Often Fail

Many resolutions fall apart because they're built around vague outcomes rather than the behaviors required to achieve them. Research on goal setting shows that generalized or overly ambitious goals, such as "I want to be healthy" or "I want to lose weight," are harder to act on consistently, increasing the likelihood of early setbacks.²

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Rigid rules and all-or-nothing thinking are another common pitfall of New Year's resolutions. One missed workout, a burger and fries out with friends, or one too many cookies after dinner can feel like a colossal failure, leaving you to abandon your goal altogether. Behavior change research consistently shows that flexibility and persistence over time matter more than perfect adherence.²

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Resolutions are also less likely to stick when they aren't personally meaningful. Goals driven by external motivators, like social pressure, appearance-based outcomes, or a sense of obligation, tend to lose their pull once the pressure or reward fades. Decades of research show that lasting behavior change is far more achievable when goals align with your values and sense of identity, rather than feeling like a temporary project you're trying to complete.³ Intrinsically motivated, identity-based goals also help you stick to the plan when motivation naturally fades. 

Step 1: Set SMART Goals

Research shows that SMART goals lead to better self-management behaviors and improved outcomes, particularly when goals are tied to clear actions and regular follow-up.^4,5

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SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These goals help turn abstract intentions into clear plans you can act on in everyday life.

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• Specific: Vague goals leave too much room for interpretation. Instead of "eat better," a specific goal might be "include a vegetable at lunch and dinner." The clearer the goal, the easier it is to know what to do in the moment.
• Measurable: Goals should be trackable, whether in days per week, minutes, or frequency. Measurable progress reinforces consistency and builds momentum.
• Achievable: Goals work best when they fit your current schedule, energy level, and resources. Realistic goals are better than overly ambitious targets that can backfire and increase the risk of early burnout.
• Relevant: Your goal should be a short-term action related to reaching your overarching goal, and should connect to something that matters to you, not just what you think you should be doing.
• Time-bound: Open-ended goals often fade into the background. Setting a realistic time frame or check-in point creates structure and encourages flexibility rather than all-or-nothing thinking.

SMART goals aren't about lowering standards; they're about creating small steps that help you get closer to the end goal. 

Step 2: Focus on Systems, Not Just Outcomes

Once you've set clear, achievable goals, it's time to focus on the systems that support them. Outcomes describe what you want to achieve, but systems define the behaviors you repeat day to day. 

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Examples of systems include scheduling workouts on your calendar, planning meals, or setting reminders on your phone to support your habits. Measure success by whether you followed your system, rather than whether you hit a specific result. Doing so helps stamp out all-or-nothing thinking and makes it easier to stay consistent through busy weeks and inevitable setbacks.

Step 3: Start Small

Big goals are easier to achieve when they're broken into small, repeatable actions. Instead of completely overhauling your entire routine, start with small, actionable steps. If your goal is to exercise more but movement isn't currently part of your routine, an overly ambitious goal to run a 5K every day is likely to backfire. 

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Instead, consider small goals, like starting with 20 minutes of walking 3 times per week. Gradually increase the amount of time or number of days, then add short jogs to your walks. Before you know it, you'll be running a 5K with ease.

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Habit stacking, where you attach a new habit to something you already do consistently, is another effective behavior-change strategy. For example, if you brush your teeth every morning, you can do a wall sit or a few squats while you're at the sink.

Step 4: Track Progress and Adjust

Tracking your progress helps you understand what's working and what isn't, without turning the process into a pass/fail test. Whether you use a journal, an app, or a simple checklist, paying attention to your habits over time creates awareness and makes progress visible, even when changes feel small.

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Staying flexible with how you pursue your goal is just as important. Be flexible with the plan but not the goal. Stay committed to the outcome, but allow yourself to adjust the approach when life throws you a curveball. Setbacks aren't a sign that the goal is wrong; they're feedback that something in the plan needs to change.

Step 5: Build Accountability That Actually Helps

Accountability works best when it's supportive, not performative. Telling someone your goal, checking in regularly, or working with a coach can help keep habits top of mind, especially during weeks when motivation is low. The point isn't pressure; it's having a reminder outside yourself that what you're working toward still matters.

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And accountability doesn't have to be extreme or expensive. A weekly check-in with a friend or support group, a shared plan with a partner, or even writing your goal down somewhere visible can keep you engaged. 

Step 6: Expect Disruptions (Because Life Will Happen)

Most resolutions don't fail because people stop caring. They fail because life gets busy, stressful, or unpredictable, and rigid plans don't account for that. Travel, illness, long workdays, or family obligations can all disrupt routines, which is why flexibility matters.

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Instead of aiming for perfection, go for consistency, even if it's with scaled-back versions of your habits. A shorter walk, a simpler meal, or a home workout can help you stay connected to your goal without derailing you. Progress doesn't require ideal conditions; it requires showing up in whatever way is realistic that day.

Step 7: Let Motivation Come and Go

Motivation is inherently unreliable, which is why it's a shaky foundation for long-term change. Some days you'll feel energized and committed. Other days, not so much. That fluctuation is normal, not a failure.

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What tends to last longer than motivation is meaning. When goals are tied to how you want to feel, function, or live, rather than a specific outcome, they're easier to return to after setbacks.^6,7 Over time, consistency matters most. Habits that fit into your life don't need constant motivation to survive.

How Signos Can Help You Stick to Resolutions

Signos turns intentions into evidence. By pairing continuous glucose data with in-app context logging and Weekly Insights, you can see, in real time, how your daily choices move your metabolic health in the right direction. Instead of guessing what’s working, you run small experiments and watch the results add up week over week.

Built-in features that support consistency

• 24/7 glucose monitoring shows how meals, movement, sleep, and stress impact your body
• Meal and activity logging adds context so glucose data becomes actionable, not just numbers
• Weekly Insights highlight trends, improvements, and patterns tied to your habits
• Glucose state visuals make it easy to spot stability vs. spikes at a glance

Simple experiments to stay engaged

• Protein-first test: Eat protein before carbs for one week and compare post-meal glucose stability
• 10-minute movement experiment: Add light movement after meals and track reduced spike height
• Sleep consistency check: Keep bed and wake times consistent for five days and observe overnight glucose patterns
• Snack audit: Reduce grazing for a week and see how fewer mini-spikes affect daily averages
• Meal swap test: Compare two versions of the same meal and identify which keeps you in the optimal zone longer

Over time, these small experiments create momentum. Weekly Insights help connect the dots, so your resolutions feel less like willpower and more like progress you can see.

The Bottom Line

Resolutions don't fail because you lack motivation; they fail because goals are vague, unrealistic, or unsupported by habits and systems that fit real life. With SMART goals and actionable habits you can track and adjust, you'll be more likely to stick to your resolutions instead of abandoning them within the first month. Remember: be flexible with the plan, not the goal. 

Learn More With Signos' Expert Advice

If you want to better understand how your daily habits shape your health, Signos offers tools and guidance to help you tune in to your body's patterns. Explore how Signos can improve overall health, and dive deeper into glucose insights on the Signos blog to learn more about energy, metabolism, and healthy choices to support your well-being.