By Sean Yoo

For those of you who had a New Year’s resolution to get a date by Valentine’s Day and you’re still single? Maybe next year. 

For those of you who swore you were going to go to the gym and ended up Netflix binging? Maybe next year. 

For those of you who had a whole list of New Year’s resolutions and have already failed? It’s okay because, according to a 2024 Forbes poll, less than eight percent of participants had resolutions that lasted over a month. 

These resolutions are often created with the desire to start the new year strong and leave old habits in the past. It serves as a framework to complete a goal to become a so-called “better” person. It signifies a fresh start, encouraging people to adopt healthier habits and embrace challenges. 

Yet, if these resolutions are supposed to help you, why do they fail? It’s because we are full of a false sense of hope that we think we can break bad habits with just a list. You can’t just change who you are by saying “New Year, new me!” You have to create a new path and reflect on what is keeping you from attaining your goals. Creating attainable goals takes a lot of time and reflection, it can’t just change overnight. 

One of the most common New Year’s resolutions is to find happiness. How? People don’t know. People so often don’t fulfill their resolutions because they often focus on broad goals. Without exact and measurable goals, it feels impossible to follow through with a resolution. Setting broad standards is detrimental since you overlook whether or not you can even start your resolution let alone succeed in completing them. 

That’s why when you fail, you give up because of how unreachable these goals seem. For example, You can’t be happy 24/7, but if you set your goal to spend more time outdoors to increase happiness, you can actually accomplish your goals. You need to establish resolutions that are more specific and measurable if you really want to achieve them. 

Another resolution that many set for themselves is to eat healthy. Again, how? People don’t know. They think, “I’m eating too much junk and gaining too much weight so I need to go on a diet.” They often establish the goal of eating healthy in order to lose weight. They go to the absolute extremes by cutting all carbs, eating one meal a day, or exclusively eating protein. All this may seem like a healthy option, but in reality, it isn’t. You need to balance out your diet with protein, carbs, vitamins, minerals, and fat. This goal again needs to be changed so that it’s measurable and realistic. You could set a daily calorie limit, meal prep, or even eat smaller portions. These goals are more measurable, realistic, and add enjoyment in your life. 

In my honest opinion, I think the way most people approach new year resolutions is foolish. Yes, it is admirable that someone wants to improve their life, behavior, or health, but without a realistic goal, it is doomed to fail. 

According UCLA researchers, the majority of people who diet not only regained the weight but often regained more. Diets do not lead to sustained weight loss or health benefits for most people. This is the same with any drastic resolutions. 

But, don’t let me discourage you. This is just my opinion because I failed my resolution of eating healthier in the first ten minutes of 2025. When I reflect on why I failed, it’s because my goals weren’t specific enough. Therefore, I have a few suggestions to improve your resolutions and make them reachable. 

One, track goals by focusing on progress, not perfection. Often, people think a few slip ups destroy your new year resolutions, but it really doesn’t. You just need to get better each day by demonstrating your progress and being unafraid of making mistakes. 

Two, reframe your why. Reflect and decide why you wanted to make this goal in the first place. For example, if your goal is to lose weight, think why? Is it because you want more energy to do more activities? Is it for health concerns? Whatever the reason is, the establishment of a motivation factor will create a sense of a greater purpose. 

Finally, enjoy the process. Yes, sometimes running seems like torture and salad without sauce sounds disgusting. So, adjust these things to make it enjoyable. If that’s you, maybe go cycling or swimming. Instead of just plain kales and lettuce, switch it up and turn it into a dish. Whatever it may be, make it enjoyable.