“Next year will be...” is a phrase gleaming with hope people use when describing what they aim to achieve within the upcoming year. With the start of the new year, phrases such as “next year will be different” and “new year, new me” become increasingly common.
I have always associated the new year with hope and intentional goal setting, and I believe others also view the change in the calendar in the same light. A study from the Pew Research Center confirmed this belief, finding 30% of Americans made new year’s resolutions in 2024.
However, I have seen myself and many others create resolutions that seem to fizzle out and get forgotten in the blink of an eye. According to an article by Forbes, these resolutions only last on average 3.74 months, and researchers have even dubbed the second Friday of January as “Quitters Day” each year. The widespread and known failure of resolutions suggests there is a deeper reason why they often fail.
To understand this, I feel it’s important to look at the history behind resolutions. Such resolutions have been around for about 4,000 years since the ancient Babylonians. Resolutions even have religious roots, as ancient Babylonians and Romans used them to make promises to their gods, and Christians did so by making prayers for the future.
However, whom we make these resolutions to have shifted from deities to ourselves. New Year’s Day has historically been a time of year associated with goal setting and promises. I believe every time the clock hits midnight and we see the calendar flip over a year; it gives this grand feeling that we can achieve anything because we have a whole year ahead of us we can conquer and make our own.
In my opinion, the behavioral psychology term “fresh start effect” describes perfectly why we feel this way. Psychology Today describes this effect as when people use the start of a week, month, year or any other calendar beginning as inspiration to set goals because it feels like a “blank slate.” An everyday example of this is when a person who wants to eat healthy says, “I’ll start eating better on Monday.”
Because of this, I believe people feel the new year brings upon the greatest “blank slate” of time, which people feel they have to occupy with dreams and goals. This is largely why close to 62% of people say they feel pressured to make a resolution.
Making goals and resolutions under any duress can lead to a person’s motivation being stifled and anxieties overwhelming the mind, according to an article from Psychology Today. I’ve found when I attempt to complete something while feeling overwhelmed, I am more likely to abandon it and say, “Welp, I tried.” The added pressure of a new year and traditions around making resolutions can be overwhelming, making many people drop them before reaching completion.
According to an article from Knowledge at Wharton, experts found goals are more likely to succeed if they are launched at a “temporal landmark” that is most personal and meaningful to them. For some, this may be when a person starts a job or begins a semester in school. It’s important to note that figuring out when the best time to start a new goal can depend on a person's work style and motivational needs.
Goals shouldn’t be set because of the societal or mental pressures from the start of the new year; they should be set because it’s the right time for the person. If we have a sound mind, feel motivated and have a personal reason, goals are more likely to stick. If the correct time is the start of the new year, then by all means, go ahead and make that resolution.
But if that time is any other point of the year, don’t be afraid to use phrases like “next year will be,” “next year will be different,” or “new year, new me” in the middle of the year.
Who knows, maybe that “new year, new me” will happen this April, June or October. Only that person and time will know.
Drew Hoffmaster is a sophomore studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note the opinions expressed in this column do not represent those of The Post. Want to talk to Drew Hoffmaster about his column? Email them at dh384223@ohio.edu.
