5 Surefire Ways to Stick to Your New Year Resolutions

New Year resolutions have a reputation for failing, and plenty of them do. But "surefire" isn't just a nice headline. There are a handful of reliable principles that make a resolution much more likely to last. None of them involve more willpower.

1. Choose an approach goal, and keep it specific

How you phrase a resolution matters. In a 2020 study of over 1,000 people in Sweden, researchers led by Martin Oscarsson found that people with "approach-oriented" resolutions (doing something, like "eat more vegetables") were significantly more likely to report success after a year than those with "avoidance-oriented" ones (stopping something, like "stop eating sweets").

Specific also beats vague. "Get healthier" is a mood. "Walk for twenty minutes after lunch on weekdays" is a plan you can actually check.

2. Start smaller than you think

The most common mistake is aiming too high in January. Someone who hasn't exercised in years signs up for daily gym sessions; someone who never cooks plans elaborate meals every night. By the third week, real life wins.

Start with a version so small it feels almost easy: one push-up, one page, one home-cooked dinner a week. Small habits are easier to repeat, and repetition is what builds habits. Research led by Phillippa Lally at University College London found that the time it took for a new daily behaviour to become automatic varied widely, from 18 to 254 days, with a median of 66. That's a long time to sustain something hard. Make it easy.

3. Give it a time and a place

Decide exactly when and where your new habit will happen. "After I pour my morning coffee, I'll write one line in my journal." "On Monday and Thursday evenings at 7, I'll go for a run from my front door."

Linking a new behaviour to something you already do every day, sometimes called habit stacking, gives it a reliable trigger. It removes the daily decision of whether and when, which is where most resolutions quietly die.

4. Tell someone, or do it together

Telling a friend what you're working on, and checking in with them regularly, adds a gentle layer of accountability. Doing it together is even better: a walking partner, a shared savings goal, a book club. On days when your motivation dips, the commitment to someone else carries you.

In the Swedish study, people who got some support, such as information and occasional encouragement, did better than those who had none.

5. Plan for slips

You will miss days. Everyone does. The difference between people who succeed and people who give up is often what happens next. The "what the hell" effect, when one slip leads to abandoning the whole plan, is a well-known trap.

Decide in advance what you'll do after a miss. A simple rule like "never miss twice" works well: if you skip Monday's run, Tuesday becomes non-negotiable. Treat a slip as information, not a verdict. What got in the way? How can you make it easier next time?

Bonus: fewer is better

If you have eight resolutions, pick the one or two that matter most. Spreading your energy across many goals usually means progress on none. You can always add another once the first is on autopilot.

Make a quick plan now

Write down your resolution in this format:

What: the specific behaviour.
When and where: the trigger.
Smallest version: what you'll do on a bad day.
Who: the person you'll tell.
After a slip: your recovery rule.

If you'd like a lower-pressure alternative to resolutions altogether, try the Just for Today Challenge: thirty-one small experiments rather than one big promise.