Newsletter Topic: Why New years resolutions don't make it out of January

Hello all, and welcome to 2026!

For the past 7 years, my wife and I take a small weekend retreat to ring in the new year. I'll be honest the purpose of this is to set new years goals/resolutions. I bring a whiteboard (yes—I know how over the top that is), we try to go to a couple nice dinners, and talk through vision: for our family, the year ahead, faith, finances, and the stuff that actually shapes the day to day.

That discipline has has truly been life changing. And allowed us to accomplish a lot more than what we thought was possible.

However, I've set quite a few goals over the past 7 years that did not get accomplished. They were made with good intentions, and high motivation but didn't hit.

I know I'm not alone in this: According to Dr. Asim Shah of Baylor College of Medicine, studies show that 88% of people who set New Year’s resolutions abandon them within the first two weeks.

After ~8,000 hours in the therapy room I believe there are 3 things that work to get your goals past January.

I’ve listened to people name their hopes, outline "the best" systems, swear this year will be different, and then quietly drift back to old patterns. Heck, I've been that person.

Metallic 2026 numbers on a dark reflective surface

Here are the 3 things that work to get your goals past January.

Community

Goals rarely fail because of a lack of information. They fail in isolation. Research consistently shows that social support dramatically increases follow-through on behavior change. A classic finding cited by the American Society of Training and Development showed people are 65% more likely to meet a goal when they commit to someone else, and that number jumps to 95% when progress is reported regularly. Community works because it regulates motivation on days discipline is low. Being seen, known, and expected to show up creates just enough pressure to keep momentum alive. So maybe don't focus as much on the work plan but the workout partner.

2. Commitment
Commitment works because it removes daily negotiation. When a goal relies on commitment it doesn't require continued willpower and motivation that often wains. Structuring a commitment is hard because it is NOT writing a goal down, making a promise to yourself, or telling a friend about your goal. Commitment is signing up for that marathon, actually joining that small group at church, or booking the babysitter for the next 6 months in January to go on date nights.

Behavioral science shows that commitment—not motivation—is what predicts follow-through

(Open Journal of Social Sciences). Other studies show that commitment devices—clear rules, timelines, or accountability agreements—significantly improve outcomes, especially when paired with social feedback (BMC Public Health).

3. Competition
Effort increases when stakes are visible. Research on motivation and behavior change shows that structured competition boosts consistency and performance, even when the competition is friendly. A large-scale study analyzing fitness challenges found participants increased effort simply because progress was measured and compared (NIH / PMC). Competition works because it sharpens focus and activates engagement systems in the brain. It doesn’t require ego—just a clear challenge that pulls potential forward. Something to chase keeps progress from drifting.

Bonus: Coaching
Research from the International Coaching Federation consistently shows individuals working with a coach report greater goal clarity, higher self-efficacy, and faster behavioral change compared to self-directed efforts (ICF Research). Coaching works because it adds someone who sees your blind spots, challenges rationalizations, and keeps the goal alive when your motivation wanes. Most people don’t fail from lack of effort. They fail from lack of adjustment. Coaching solves that.

Make 2026 the year you don't rely on willpower,

Zach

Founder of Mental Health 4 Men & Clinical Therapist