ISU Expert Explains Why We Fail at Most New Year’s Resolutions, And How to Succeed

If you plan to make a New Year’s resolution tomorrow night, an Iowa State University expert says keeping it will require more than just good intentions. It takes real focus and a different approach to change.

Alison Phillips, a psychology professor at ISU, says most people set themselves up to fail from the start.

“I’ve seen two different statistics, one is that 80% of resolutions fail by the second week in February,” Phillips says. “The other is a bit less depressing and that’s 40% of us are still hanging on after four months. Either way, long-term efforts at changing our behavior generally fail.”

Phillips studies behavior change and habit formation. She says successful changes are those that help shape a person’s identity, not just their to-do list.

“This is important because behaviors that do stick around are those that become part of our self-identity, it’s how we see ourselves,” Phillips says. “They’re usually things that we’re proud of, that we’re good at, and they make us feel like we’re competent at something.”

She says people should focus on goals they can improve at and take pride in, because those are the habits they are less likely to abandon.

“Habits form as you repeat them in a stable context,” Phillips says. “Pick a time that’s pretty regular that you could do it and that will help you form a habit more quickly. Also, pick something that you relatively enjoy. You might not like exercise at all but pick something that you hate the least and that you would be proud of yourself to do.”

For those aiming to improve physical fitness, Phillips says it’s better to focus on behaviors rather than outcomes like a number on the scale.

“If you prefer bicycling to running, by all means, go for the bike,” Phillips says. “Even if it’s in the gym and the stationary bike isn’t awesome, maybe try a spin class until the weather is nicer.”

Phillips says setbacks are inevitable, so it’s important to plan ahead for obstacles. She also emphasizes the value of social support, noting that having encouragement from friends and family can make a big difference when building new, positive habits.