It’s been a month since we brought in the new year 2023. So, now it is time to reflect on how we are faring on resolutions we took a month back, to make our and others’ lives better.

The goals we set for ourselves, the time limit we keep to achieve them, and the methods we choose to adopt go a long way in making resolutions come to fruition. However, many fail in keeping up with them.

Here are some statistics by Forbes Health, which show what type of goals are set, who sets them, and the probability of keeping up with resolutions.

A new survey from Forbes Health/OnePoll of 1,005 U.S. adults (conducted between Nov. 18 – Nov. 28, 2022) looked at Americans’ attitudes surrounding resolution setting and what types of goals were prioritized.

Highlights of the survey

1. The younger generation is prioritising mental health over physical health. Men, in general, feel more pressured than women to keep up with resolutions, and 29% of people felt pressured to set new year’s resolutions.

2. 62% of people are of the opinion that physical and mental health go hand in hand and are both equally important.

3. Women are more likely to set resolutions related to mental health, while men are more likely to set resolutions regarding physical health and fitness. Baby boomers are more likely to set resolutions of losing weight.

4. 77% state that they hold themselves responsible for adhering to their goals, and 81% of respondents feel confident about achieving them.

5. Software Apps are the most popular and reliable tools used to stick to resolutions.

Most common New Year Resolutions

Setting New Year Resolutions and working around ways that help achieve them, are common practise across many countries. However, some resolutions are common, and popular the world over.

Here are the top 8 according to the survey conducted.

1. Improved mental health
2. Improved fitness
3. Losing weight
4. Improved diet
5. Improved finances
6. Making more time for loved ones
7. Quitting smoking
8. Learning a new skill

Apart from these, improving work-life balance, making time for hobbies, meditating regularly, and travelling more are other less popular resolutions.

Reasons why resolutions fail

Though keeping resolutions is a great way to commit to something better in life, every one of us, at least once must have given up on them. Many reasons contribute to this.

Getting bogged down by failure earlier in the journey is direct motivation to leave practising the resolution.

Apart from this, accountability is a problem. Though planning is easily undertaken, execution becomes difficult.

Also, general and blanket goals like ‘I have to be fit’ or ‘I have to help people’ are too broad and generalised, making them difficult to execute.

In fact, January 17th is unofficially denoted as the Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day”, while the second Friday in January is called the “Quitter’s Day.”

However, there is one more reason that will motivate you to keep up with the resolution and that is the “New Year’s Resolution Recommitment Day,” celebrated on June 1st.

So, keep going!