- The Human's Codebook
- Posts
- 90% of People Fail Their New Year’s Resolutions—Here’s How to Be in the Winning 10%
90% of People Fail Their New Year’s Resolutions—Here’s How to Be in the Winning 10%

9 Strategies to Rescue Your Goals!
As the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, we’re filled with excitement, making bold resolutions for the year ahead. But by March? Those ambitious goals are often forgotten, lost in the chaos of daily life.
Don’t worry—this isn’t about guilt or regret. Instead, let’s dive into why resolutions often fade away and, more importantly, how you can reclaim them and stay on track for the rest of the year.
1. Make Room for Your Goals
The biggest reason resolutions fail? No space is made for them in your daily routine! If your schedule is already packed, where will that daily workout, side project, or new habit fit in?
Take a hard look at your day and carve out time by cutting back on unnecessary activities. Even trimming 10-15 minutes from social media or TV can make a huge difference.
2. Prioritize Your Time—Don’t Let Time Prioritize You
Most people let their schedule control them instead of the other way around. They react to emails, meetings, and unexpected distractions. But successful people set their priorities first and structure their schedule around them.
Decide what truly matters to you, block time for it, and protect that time fiercely. If you don’t, someone else will fill your day with their priorities instead of yours.
3. Resolutions Require Real Commitment
A resolution without commitment is just a wish. Be honest with yourself—are you making these goals because they truly matter to you, or because you feel like you should?
Drop any half-hearted resolutions and focus on the ones that genuinely excite and challenge you. Passion fuels persistence.
4. Invest in Your Success
Big goals require resources—whether that’s gym equipment, an online course, healthier groceries, or a distraction-free workspace. Investing in what you need creates a sense of commitment and makes it easier to follow through.
If you’re serious about a resolution, back it up with action and investment.
5. Make Daily Progress—Even in Small Steps
Success doesn’t happen in giant leaps; it happens in small, consistent steps. Break your goal into tiny, manageable tasks and commit to moving forward every single day.
Follow the "One Thing Rule"—never end your day without doing something, no matter how small, that pushes you toward your goal. Progress compounds over time.
6. Stay Motivated with Accountability
Motivation fades when no one is watching. Find ways to stay accountable—whether it’s a coach, mentor, accountability partner, or even tracking your progress publicly.
Performance always improves when you measure it. Having someone to check in with makes you far more likely to stay committed.
7. Ease into Big Changes
Trying to make drastic changes overnight often leads to burnout. Instead, build momentum gradually.
For example, if your goal is 30 minutes of exercise daily, start with just 5 minutes in week one, then increase slowly over time. This approach makes big goals feel achievable rather than overwhelming.
8. It’s Never Too Late to Restart
If you’ve already fallen off track—so what? Forget about the past and restart today.
Take a couple of hours to review your resolutions, pick the ones that matter most, and apply these strategies to make them stick. The best time to start was January 1st. The second-best time? Right now.
9. Master Your Time to Stay on Track
When you feel overwhelmed and out of control, your resolutions are the first things to slip. Take control of your schedule by setting boundaries, minimizing distractions, and training others to respect your time.
The key to keeping resolutions is time mastery—when you control your time, you control your life.
Final Thought
Resolutions don’t fail because of a lack of desire; they fail because of a lack of strategy. Use these nine strategies to take back control, refocus on what truly matters, and turn your resolutions into real achievements this year!