HOW TO HAVE THE MOST PRODUCTIVE 2026

You're off to a New Year. Does it feel different? Maybe you have already resolved to make this one different than the last. If you only partially fulfilled some of your goals last year, know you aren't alone. Before you can make your resolutions, you have to understand why they failed. Here are some of the most common reasons why the resolutions people make on New Year's don't work out - and how to escape those pitfalls.

Your Goal Was Too Large: Choosing a goal that was too big to tackle all at once. these can be huge transformations like losing or gaining a massive amount of weight, learning a highly technical skill, achieving a greater sense of financial freedom, buying a big expensive house, attaining fame. You can dream big; you just have to be realistic.

Think of it like, building muscle: it happens gradually over time. Before you can get shredded, you have to target specific muscle groups in the body and dedicate time to growing each of them. Your large goals are the same way. Start a little smaller and define your goals into actionable steps.

Too Vague: We've all been there. We have an idea of what we want next year to look like: reading more, travelling more, being happier, being less busy. However, these are not so much goals as they are qualities that describe less or more of something. Don't focus on the what, focus on the how. How are you going to make that happen?

Overestimating Time: 365 days is a long time. You may feel like you can do anything within this time frame, but time passes by quickly. Make sure you have a time management system - calendars, phone checklists, apps - whatever works for you, is going to make sure you not only stay on track - but that all your activities are properly scheduled.

Focus On The Why: It feels good to set a goal. But what's beyond that? Focusing on your motivation is going to keep you centered. When people lose track of the why, the process of reaching your goal becomes stagnant or painful. If you can identify the real internal reasons behind your goal, you will be more likely to stick to it. Was your resolution to go out more? Maybe this was to spend more time with friends and family, but a deeper internal reason reveals an improvement to your mental health. 

Announcing Your Plans: When people announce their plans to do something before they do it, they unwittingly put pressure on themselves. Whether you're telling your friends and family about your resolutions, or posting on social media about it, you may be decreasing the probabibility of your success rate. Move in silence. Write your goals down or keep them somewhere that you can see them.

You Aren't Mentally Prepared: Most people who fail at their resolutions, do so because they're aren't psychologically prepared for change. They may be stuck in the contemplating or preparation stage of making a goal. Being in the action stage will help ensure that you achieve your goals. 

Change is difficult. It doesn't happen overnight, it's a long sustained effort that you have to choose to contribute to every day that you wake up. It is understandable why some people are psychologicallly fearful or resistant of change. Luckily, for you have as many times as you need to fail or start over whenever. Be small, be specific, and be consistent, and most importantly - have faith in yourself. Eight percent of the battle takes place in your consciousness. Ig you think like a winner, you're already halfway there.

Sources: 

VeryWellMind, "The Psychology Behind Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail", via Cynthia Vinney, Phd

Red MSU Denver, "Why our New Year’s resolutions fail" Mark Cox

Kathy Caprino, "The Top Reasons 80% of New Year’s Resolutions Fail, And How Yours Can Succeed"