The Science Behind Why We Make (and Break) New Year’s Resolutions
Make Sure It Won’t Happen Again!
I don’t remember writing down a list of New Year’s resolutions. Ever! That’s because I was never good at planning.
Still, I used to formulate some intentions that stood in the back of my head and would come to mind occasionally, bringing all those guilty feelings. 😔
Not nice!
Why do people torture themselves this way?
First things first:
Why Are New Year’s Resolutions So Popular?
The end of the year is a time for mental housekeeping. 🧹 People reflect on the past year and decide what they need to do better in the next.
It is a time of change — new year, new you. Right?
But why at the turn of the year?
Because It Is a Temporal Landmark
Just like geographical landmarks help us locate places — e.g., is that store on this side or the other side of the river? — temporal landmarks help us locate events in time.
Temporal landmarks are reference points in our memory.
They can affect how we perceive the past.
For example, you probably remember events that occurred around a temporal landmark — like the birth of your first baby or that group trip to Italy — more vividly. (more on time perception at the end ⌛)
But some dates in the calendar also stand out as temporal landmarks:
- holidays
- birthdays
- the beginning of the week
- the start of a school term
- the start of a new season
- the start of a new year
These temporal landmarks give us a sense of structure in our lives, and we see them as the natural moment for a new beginning.
Ideal for a Fresh Start
The turning of the year is king in this matter.
A 2014 study showed that Google searches for ‘diet’ increased around the turn of the year by more than 80%.
So, I got curious and checked Google Trends to see how the search volumes for the keywords ‘diet,’ ‘gym,’ and ‘resolutions’ changed throughout the year.
Here are the result for the past 5 years:
People only search for ‘resolutions’ at the turn of the year, when searches on ‘diet’ and ‘gym’ also rise.
But why do we need resolutions?
It’s All in Our Head
We know our weaknesses, and we have a natural tendency to want to improve.
The authors of the 2014 study above suggest that we tend to use these temporal landmarks to separate the two versions of themselves.
The old me used to be sedentary, but the brand-new me will be an athlete!
Writing resolutions gives you a sense of purpose and motivation to work toward becoming the ‘new you.’
Setting goals is also a way of tidying up our minds and thinking about what changes we need to make. Just the action of doing this can make us feel more confident and good about ourselves.
So why do we fail?
Why Do We Break Our New Year’s Resolutions?
The reasons vary from person to person.
But they’re rooted in 3 main factors: how we set our goals, their value to us, and our supporting structure.
Let me explain:
Because We Are Being Romantic 💖
That is to say, not reasonable.
Some people do not set goals: they make wishes.
And this is one fundamental misconception that might be to blame.
Goals are specific and detailed; they can be measured and achieved within a period.
Wishes are general desires or hopes we have that something will happen.
“I want to lose weight” sounds like a wish; “I want to lose 10 pounds by the end of the month” sounds more like a goal.
And the core difference is that when we make a wish, we expect some supernatural force (God, Nature, Destiny…) to come in and help, but when we set a goal, it’s on us.
Which one is closer to your typical New Year’s resolutions?
Because We Don’t Value Them 💩
If you want to achieve something, you need to work for it. But if you lack the motivation, you’re doomed.
So, when you make your resolutions, make sure you have a solid reason to want to change.
They must be meaningful.
We are more prone to keep doing something if we are passionate about it.
This is a case where less is more.
Better a meaningful goal in your hand than ten vain goals in the bush.
Making a long list of goals in the hope of crossing off the majority is like shooting yourself in the foot. Your attention will be scattered. You’ll be overwhelmed and lose motivation.
Setting one meaningful goal will help you keep your focus and motivation and increase your chances of achieving it.
Because We Are Unprepared 💀
It is not enough to just set goals: we need to know what we have to do to achieve them.
Resolutions call for a strategy.
What are the steps you need to take toward achieving your goals? How are you going to track your progress? When are your deadline and mid-time point? What is your plan of action?
And resolutions call for support.
It’s crucial to have the support of our inner circle — friends, family, and close colleagues. They can help us stay on track or overcome challenges.
Being surrounded by people who support us and understand our resolutions might be the difference between succeeding or failing.
This is especially true when your resolutions include adopting healthier habits, as the habits of people around us influence our choices.
In sum
Writing down your New Year’s resolutions is a tidying-up ritual into that very much wanted fresh start.
But if you are only doing it because it is what everyone does, you won’t succeed.
If your intentions are weak and your goals are not meaningful, your initial motivation will vanish into thin air.
So… are you sticking to your resolutions?
Don’t worry: you are still on time to go and reformulate them!
Thank you for reading 🙏
Want to know more on how we perceive ⌛ time throughout our life? Check here:
