Jens Asbjørn Bøgen
The devil is in the detail – and realism.
New year, new you, right?
All over the world, New Year’s Eve is used by people to set goals or missions to improve something—be it body composition, breaking bad habits, or something entirely different.
One of the most popular resolutions is to start eating healthier and perhaps begin exercising. But as a former personal trainer and dietitian, I have seen my fair share of good intentions fail within months—if not weeks—after the new year has begun.
There can be many different reasons why a New Year’s resolution fails, and I do not claim to have a universal guide for achieving your goals. That being said, there are some recurring mistakes that I have seen people make when trying to improve their lives.
So let me give you three tips on how to increase your chances of success in 2026!
1. Be realistic
Don’t aim to lose 100 lbs or attempt something similarly extreme. It’s tempting to aim for the stars, but doing so significantly increases the risk of failure—especially if progress is slower than expected.
Instead of aiming for something like losing 100 lbs, consider a goal such as 2–3 lbs per month. It’s still ambitious, but far more realistic, and it allows you to see steady progress.
2. Be specific
“I want to eat healthier.”
“I want to do more good for others.”
“I want to start exercising.”
All admirable goals—but very unspecific. When can you say that you have actually started eating healthier? After one vegetable-based meal? After two?
And when it comes to doing good for others: which others? Strangers? Family and friends? And what kind of good?
By setting measurable and specific goals, it becomes much easier to track your progress.
For example, instead of a vague “do good” goal, try something like this:
When I see a senior citizen at a crosswalk, I will, at least once a week, offer my assistance to help them cross safely.
3. Set long-term goals with short-term checkpoints
It’s fine to aim high if you truly have the motivation. But a year is a long time, and to maintain motivation, it’s helpful to create short-term goals that support the bigger picture.
For example: “I want to start exercising regularly.” That’s a good goal, but still a bit vague.
Now turn it into a short-term goal for January:
I want to go to the gym or go for a jog at least once per week in January.
It’s realistic, measurable, and increases your chances of success at the first stage of your overall goal.
Then, for February, you could aim to jog at least once per week, with two jogs in at least one of the weeks. Slightly more ambitious, but still realistic.
This example focuses on exercise, but the same approach can be applied to almost anything. You just need to put some real thought into it.
A final thought
New Year’s resolutions are fine, but don’t feel like you have to make one. Maybe you already feel great as you are, or maybe life isn’t being very kind at the moment, meaning you don’t have the mental capacity to make major changes right now.
So listen to yourself, be honest with yourself, and remember: a New Year’s resolution is your goal. It doesn’t matter what others—or society—think you should strive for.
