Happy New Year! Early January is often a time for reflection, goal-setting, and change. It’s a time when we decide what we will leave in 2025, whether it be habits, ideas, or even people, and what we want to change or start in 2026. Approximately 30% of Americans set New Year’s Resolutions, but only about 13% are thought to keep them (according to the Pew Research Center). Why is this?
One idea from Anne-Laure Cunff, a neuroscientist who did an interview with CNBC early this year, suggests that it’s the goal-setting itself. Many people set goals in the “linear” style. Linear goals are goals that have a clear start, finish, and step-by-step process to achieve them. This isn’t exactly a bad process, and it may work for many people, but it leads to a very pass/fail or outcome-based way of thinking, and could lead to quitting your resolution if life interferes with your plans. Instead, she suggests making “tiny experiments”. These are small, measurable habits that you track as a scientist would. In the article with CNBC, she lays out a very simple groundwork to start these “experiments”: [x action] for [y amount of time]. This must also be something that you can start now, and be trackable. For example, if your goal was to get better sleep, you may start with one small thing and see what changes. You might say: “I won’t bring my phone into my bedroom for one week”, or “I will sleep with white noise for two weeks”, or anything else. The important thing is to track how your sleep quality improves or declines and come to conclusions; though, do try to keep your judgement until the end.
However, resolutions aren’t just rooted in neuroscience. Psychology also suggests ways to stick to your goals, and set better ones. The American Psychological Association (APA) suggests five ways to stick to your goals; but this article will only talk about three of them. The first two tie into the previous idea from Anne-Laure Cunff. Set smaller goals throughout the year. It’s not exactly the same, but it still keeps you from overwhelming yourself with large, unattainable goals. Secondly, change one behavior at a time. Habits are hard to build, especially good ones. Similarly, bad habits are hard to break; possibly even harder than they are to build. Give yourself time to build these habits, work up to these goals. The last piece of advice the APA gives that I’ll detail here, is to talk to people about your goals. Talking about them can make them seem less intimidating, and give you more reason to do them. Talk to friends or family, join a group with similar goals, or even seek professional help from a psychologist. Not meeting your goals can cause anxiety, stress, and other negative emotions. Psychologists can help you understand these feelings, and break overwhelming goals into attainable ones.
In conclusion, it’s important to remember that you can’t change everything about yourself and your habits in one month. Start small and give yourself time to achieve your goals. It will be better for you, and it increases your likelihood of achieving your resolutions.
TL;DR: change one habit at a time by setting experiments, don’t overwhelm yourself, seek support if you start feeling overwhelmed or anxious, habits are hard to break and to build. Happy New Year!
Sources:
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/01/new-years-resolutions-rarely-work-neuroscientist-says-try-this-smarter-method.html
https://www.apa.org/topics/behavioral-health/new-year-resolutions
https://www.fastcompany.com/91465305/new-year-resolutions-2026-psychologists-neuroscience-reveals-how-to-rewire-your-brain-for-success
