Why You Should Not Make New Year’s Resolutions for 2025
- Alex Yeboah Sasu
- Nov 25, 2024
- 4 min read
A year ago, I hosted a webinar on goal setting. Although I expected it to go well, it far exceeded my expectations, especially considering I only had a couple of weeks to prepare. Following the session, many attendees booked one-on-one coaching sessions to refine their 2024 goals.
During these sessions, I noticed a recurring theme: most people’s resolutions were vague and lacked clarity. For example, one client resolved "to be financially independent," while another wanted "to grow spiritually." However, neither had a clear understanding of what achieving these goals would look like in practical terms.
On the flip side, one participant admitted she had never made New Year’s resolutions because she firmly believed "they don’t work." She reluctantly attended the webinar to support a friend but was surprised to discover I agreed—making resolutions, in and of themselves, is ineffective. Ironically, by the end of the webinar, she felt motivated to create resolutions for the first time and booked a coaching session with me. A year later, she’s glad she made that decision.
Why I Stopped Making New Year’s Resolutions
According to Wikipedia, a New Year’s resolution is “a tradition…in which a person resolves to continue good practices, change an undesired trait or behavior, accomplish a personal goal, or otherwise improve their behavior at the beginning of a calendar year.”
Also, according to a study by the University of Scranton, “the most popular New Year’s resolutions are about self improvement (living healthier 23% of people, getting happy 21%, losing weight 20%, exercising 7%, stopping smoking 5%, reducing drinking 2%). In addition, people resolve to meet career or job goals (16%) and improve their relationships (11%)…”
As you read the inspiring ideas above, you might be wondering why I’m skeptical about the concept of New Year’s resolutions. After all, who wouldn’t want to live a happier life, improve their relationships, or break bad habits? Allow me to explain the reasons behind my reservations:
Short-lived excitement: The concept of New Year’s resolutions often sparks temporary motivation at the beginning of the year (e.g., "I can't wait to lose some weight this year!"), but this excitement quickly fades, leaving many feeling frustrated or defeated for the rest of the year (e.g., "Oh no! I can't believe I gained 10 more pounds!").
Lack of a holistic approach: Resolutions usually focus on one area of life (e.g., "I’ll invest in personal development!") but neglect the ripple effects on other important areas (e.g., less family time due to increased commitments). Without proper preparation, frustration is inevitable.
Overreliance on belief: New Year’s resolutions often operate on the assumption that belief alone is enough to achieve desired outcomes, overlooking the critical importance of action, hard work, discipline, and resilience. It’s no surprise that many start the year declaring, “New year, new me,” only to find themselves a few weeks later facing the familiar reality of “New year, old me.”
As you can see, my reservations aren’t about the resolutions themselves or even the term "New Year’s resolution," but rather the mindset and attitude the concept tends to foster.
Shifting Focus: From Resolutions to Systems
In his bestselling book Atomic Habits, James Clear writes, "You do not rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems." This rings true. Without effective systems, even the best resolutions are destined to fail.
Research from Strava, a fitness tracking app, shows that most people abandon their resolutions by January 19th—a phenomenon often referred to as “Quitters’ Day" (which I call Resolution Dissolution). This happens because resolutions by nature lack the structured systems needed to transform intentions into reality.
Don’t Make New Year’s Resolutions for 2025
I firmly believe you should avoid making resolutions for 2025 unless you have a solid system in place to turn those resolutions into reality. Without such a system, you’re essentially setting yourself up for failure. The lack of structure will likely lead to a loss of motivation before you even realize it. Worse, if you make resolutions and fail again, you might mistakenly conclude that goal setting doesn’t work or that something is inherently wrong with you—when the real issue lies in not having the right systems to support your success.
Introducing the SGSF: A Better Way to Achieve Your Goals
The SGSF, or Sayinspires Goal Scorers Framework, is a model I created after more than a decade of helping individuals enhance their time management skills and coaching them to turn their goals into tangible results. This framework is built on an effective system summarized by the acronym SCORE, which is outlined below:
S – Seeing Clearly: Understand what goal setting is and why it matters.
C – Conceptualizing Practically: Learn to define and prioritize different types of goals.
O – Organizing Holistically: Balance progress across all areas of life.
R – Running Strategically: Establish a strong foundation and actionable steps.
E – Evaluating Regularly: Conduct frequent reviews to stay on track and adjust as needed.
Using this framework, I’ve helped countless individuals stop relying on ineffective resolutions and start achieving their goals.
Join My Free Webinar!
If you’re tired of abandoned resolutions, ready to build effective systems, or simply unsure where to start with goal setting, my free webinar on the SGSF can help. You’ll gain practical insights into creating a sustainable plan for success in 2025 and beyond. 📅 Sign up here
Remember, the webinar is completely free! Let’s make 2025—and every year that follows—your best year yet. I look forward to seeing you there!
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