Considering Setting New Year's Resolutions? These Mindset Tips Will Help Set You Up for Success.
While some people love the opportunity for a fresh reset on their goals, others find New Year’s Resolutions to be nothing more than a high-pressure opportunity for failure. In fact, it's become somewhat common knowledge that most people have given up on their resolutions by the end of January.
There's nothing magical about setting goals on January 1. But if you like the ritual of setting resolutions for the upcoming year, here are some mindset shifts to help you get the most out of them.
Connect your goals to your values.
Change is hard. So it's important to get clear about why we're investing our time and energy into the goals we choose.
If you're looking to focus on your mental health this year, is it because you want to invest in your quality of life? Or to show up for the people you care about? If you're looking to stop overspending, is it because you care about buying a house for your family someday? Or to create financial freedom for your later years?
Get clear about what you care about and what you're doing it for. Then, find a way to remind yourself about that driving force along the way. (A simple post-it note on your desk might be enough!)
Expect motivation to ebb and flow.
You may be excited and fired up about learning a new language, quitting smoking, or finally launching that side hustle as you're looking forward to 2026. But that feeling just isn’t going to last. Motivation can help us get started on a goal, but it won't keep us going all the way to the finish line.
Plan to harness your new year's motivation to plan ahead for the times you're feeling less than enthusiastic about your goals. Who can help you stay on track? How can you set up your routine or your environment now to make it easier to stick with it? What pitfalls have tripped you up in the past, and how can you anticipate them?
Losing motivation isn't a failure. It's a predictable and expected part of the process. When we learn to roll with it instead of fighting it, that's when we see change.
Ditch the tough love and try self-compassion instead.
Many of my clients are incredibly tough on themselves—holding themselves to impossible standards and feeling bad when they can't reach them. When we dig into it, there's often a fear that without being hard on ourselves, we won't get anything done.
However, the tough love approach can also have unwanted side effects, like triggering shame, undermining self-confidence, and fueling procrastination. Research shows that it’s less effective than treating ourselves with kindness and encouragement.
Feeling stuck on what that might look like? Think about how you might try to motivate a dear friend, or even a kid you love, to do something tough. Putting them down is hurtful and it doesn't help. Phrases like “I know this is hard, but I know you can do hard things,” or “It's ok not to be good at this at first, you'll get it with practice” can help us stick with a challenge through the ups-and-downs.
Whether or not you're setting resolutions for 2026, these principles can help you with goals and behavior change throughout the year.
Want extra support for achieving your New Year's goals? Being part of a community like Femme Factor can help keep you motivated and on track! Working with a therapist, like our team at Stella Nova, can also provide more personalized support for goal setting, planning, and overcoming obstacles.
