Is your New Year's resolution still on track? University professors explain how to overcome resolution failures

Written by: Ingrid Sjostrand
Edited by: Tom Mitsos

It's the middle of March, and excitement about resolutions is starting to fade. Those who failed are beginning to wonder, “Where did I go wrong?”

After the first month, only 64 percent of people are still committed to their resolutions, according to a study performed by John Norcross (pictured left courtesy of www.scranton.edu), a Professor of Psychology at the University of Scranton. This number declines to less than half after six months.


The reasons people fail are varied, but there are several common themes. Amber Roberts, a student counselor at Grand Valley State University, explained why many people don’t keep their resolutions.

“The type of goals people make are one key to their failure,” Roberts said. “Many attempt to make big lifestyle changes.”

John Adamopoulos, a professor of psychology at GVSU, agreed with Roberts.

"People may not keep their resolutions because they are unrealistically optimistic and involve goals that are very difficult to achieve," he said.

Expecting to change an entire aspect of their life without a plan can set people up for failure. Another common mistake people make is having a lack of drive and motivation. According to Roberts, many people give up if they make a mistake.

“You have to expect some mistakes,” she said. “If you falter, you shouldn’t give up; you just need to get back on track and try again.”

The lack of success has caused some people to give up New Year’s resolutions altogether. Allison Lipka, a senior at GVSU, said she doesn’t make resolutions anymore.

“All the resolutions I made in the past were about losing weight and I failed every time,” Lipka said.

She said it causes more stress and disappointment when she fails.

Another GVSU student, Andres Rodriguez, has had more success but is still struggling. He said all his former attempts were failures but he is more motivated this year. His goal is to stay focused on school and work and to remember what’s important in his life.

“I’m doing pretty good right now,” Rodriguez said, “but as I get further into the semester and my classes get harder it’s going to be a challenge.”

He worries that the pressures from classes will set him off track and lead to another failure.
Setting short-term goals and rewarding yourself are the best way to stay on track, Adamopoulos said.

“Actions should have some immediate consequences so that people can feel they are getting some results early in their effort,” he said.

Adamopoulos said rewards keep you focused on your goals and motivate you to keep trying.
Roberts said making a change doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to New Year’s. She said the expectation and buildup of New Year’s can add pressure for success and is often what leads to failure.

All goals should be broken down into a plan, Adamopoulos said. That way, the goals are clearer and can be more easily rewarded.

“Overall, people can make long-term goals,” he said, “but these should also involve some smaller, more easily achievable short-term ‘sub-goals’ that can help people feel they are making progress with their plans and wishes.”

Here is a top 10 list of New Year's resolutions from Pittsburgh's about.com Web site. Did your resolution make their top 10 list?

1. Spend more time with family and friends
2. Get fit
3. Lose weight
4. Quit smoking
5. Enjoy life more
6. Quit drinking
7. Get out of debt
8. Learn something new
9. Help others
10. Get organized