Struggled With New Year’s Resolutions in 2024? Here’s What Scientists Recommend for 2025

Maybe you, like many others, started the year with big ambitions—a home spin bike or rowing machine, for instance. By March, however, the excitement likely waned, and by June, it may have become just another clothes rack.

You’re not alone. A recent Gallup survey found that seven in ten adults plan to set goals for the coming year. According to Statista, the most common resolutions are health-related, such as improving diet and exercise habits, followed by financial goals like saving money. This explains the annual January surge in exercise equipment sales.

However, research reveals that many resolutions don’t last. Within one week, 25% of people abandon their goals, and over half fail within six months. After two years, only 20% achieve success.

So why do we persist in making resolutions, often spending significant money, only to break them? More importantly, how can we stick with them and, perhaps, redeem that spin bike? Insights from behavioral science provide some answers.

Why We Try—and Why We Fail

You bought the spin bike because it’s human nature to strive for self-improvement.

Unlike other animals, humans have a unique drive to set and pursue goals for a better future. Psychologist Abraham Maslow placed self-actualization—fulfilling one’s potential—at the pinnacle of human needs. Naturally, you want to become the fittest version of yourself.

The challenge lies in the discipline regular exercise demands. When choosing between the comfort of the couch and the demands of the spin bike, our resolve often falters. Exercise is tough, and our brains are wired to conserve energy—a survival strategy that made sense in the Stone Age when food was scarce.

Modern conveniences, however, have flipped the script. Excessive energy intake and minimal expenditure often lead to habits that are counterproductive.

Leveraging Self-Regulation

Your spin bike, however, symbolizes hope. Despite our evolutionary tendencies, humans have a powerful ability to self-regulate. At our best, we can resist immediate temptations to focus on long-term goals.

Research highlights two critical components of self-regulation: monitoring your behavior and correcting it when necessary. You’ve already taken the first two steps—you set a goal and recognized your lapses. Now it’s time to implement corrections.

Nudge Yourself Toward Success

One way to overcome these challenges is through self-nudging—adjusting your environment and choices to make success more likely.

Take the “sunk cost fallacy,” for example. This cognitive bias leads us to value something more because we’ve already invested in it. Use this to your advantage: owning a spin bike might motivate you to work out more than relying on a gym membership, which is easily canceled.

Behavioral scientists also recommend the EAST framework: make desired actions Easy, Attractive, Social, and Timely:

• Easy: A home spin bike eliminates the need for packing gym gear, driving, and waiting for equipment.
• Timely: You can exercise whenever it fits your schedule without worrying about gym hours.
• Attractive: Pair your workout with something enjoyable, like watching TV. This “temptation bundling” helps make the experience more appealing.
• Social: Join an online community, compete on leaderboards, or follow interactive instructors to make the activity more engaging.

Starting Fresh in 2025

Should you try again in 2025? Absolutely.

The new year offers a natural reset, thanks to the fresh start effect. Psychologists have found that temporal landmarks, like birthdays or the start of a new year, help people mentally leave past failures behind and embrace a clean slate.

The end of the year is a powerful moment for change. But success requires more than good intentions—you need strategies to make your goals stick. With the right approach, your resolutions for 2025 could finally become lasting habits.

Read Original Article: Science Alert

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