New Year’s Resolution Check-in: Creating Lasting Habits

Okay, so we’re halfway through the year. How are you doing on those New Year’s resolutions? You know, the goals you set last December to really change up the way you live. Maybe you want to take charge of your money, spend more time with your family, or get healthier. All good things.

And hey, if those resolutions aren’t working out like you thought they would, you’re not alone. According to a 2023 study from the Fisher College of Business at Ohio State University, only 9% of Americans actually complete their New Year’s resolutions!

Give yourself some grace, though. There’s nothing wrong with wanting a clean start at the beginning of the year. A new year creates new opportunities to work on things, get better, and just do things differently. But when it comes to achieving those goals, my hot take is that resolutions are not always the best way.

 

Resolutions feel more like a trend—and I think we all know that trends don’t tend to last. Remember chokers, cargo pants, Furbys, the Harlem Shake and Tamagotchis? There have been so many here today, gone tomorrow fads that we’ve dedicated time and money to over the decades. I sometimes look back at my high school photos and question some of the fashion choices I made!

 

The bottom line is, trends don’t last. But what really sticks around are habits—little behaviors we do every day like second nature that build into big changes over time. We have to make those aspirational resolutions into real-world habits.

 

So, how do we build good habits? Behavior expert James Clear says that true habits start with a change in your identity. Instead of focusing on what you want to do, see yourself as the person who already does it and then start making little behavior choices in your life each day. When you start with an identity, that identity influences your actions, which turn into who you are, which are your habits and behaviors.

If you want to become debt-free, you need to become someone who doesn’t use debt for anything. Make conscious choices like not using the credit card anymore (or even better—cut it up!). And then start a process to get out of debt. Live on a written monthly budget. Make it a habit, an outward expression of the new you.

 

Now, not all habits are good. You might struggle with overspending or eating too much junk food. Some people simply shrug their shoulders and say, “Well, I’m just bad at math,” or “Well, I just have a sweet tooth, so this is just what my life is.” Those self-imposed identities will need to change in order for you to win at your goals. You might not like to budget, but you can still identify as a budgeter.

 

Are you going to stumble at first? Of course! Everyone does when they try something new or do something different. But in the words of the great philosopher Taylor Swift, “Babe, you gotta fake it till you make it.”

 

You can definitely break bad habits and incorporate good ones. Start by adding an element of excitement to your new routine. If you need to get out and move to lose weight, listen to a podcast or audiobook when you go on your daily walks. Grab some colorful pens and take notes when you read about whatever you want to achieve.

 

But be careful not to spend a ton of money on a goal you won’t actually stick to. A few years ago, I had a goal to run a marathon (even though I hate running) and bought all this new gear to train with. But partway through, I quit the whole thing. So, I wasted a bunch of money on a goal I didn’t finish. Sure, it was exciting because I got new stuff, but it didn’t sustain my excitement long term. New habits are made by being consistent, not throwing a bunch of money at them.

 

New Year’s resolutions are wrapped up in the best of intentions. There’s just something great about a clean start to break free from the old. But those resolutions very often don’t work out because it takes more than just good intentions to reach your goals. Habits are what last longer and lead to real change. That means changing behavior in super small steps over time, along with changing your identity from someone wanting to be that new person to actually being that new person.

 

And you don’t have to wait till 2026. There’s still time to make your goals a reality this year. Do it today. It’s never too late to start.

You’ve got this!