Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail: Science Says Enjoy the Journey

Most people abandon their New Year’s resolutions by mid-February, despite setting goals they genuinely believe will improve their lives. A comprehensive study tracking 2,000 Americans for an entire year reveals why: we’re focusing on the wrong kind of motivation.

The research, published in Psychological Science, challenges conventional wisdom about goal-setting. People who found their resolutions intrinsically enjoyable—meaning they liked the actual process of pursuing them—were significantly more likely to stick with their goals throughout the year than those motivated purely by outcomes.

The Enjoyment Factor

“Across several studies, including one that spanned a full year and others conducted across different cultures and behaviors like step tracking, we consistently found that intrinsic motivation — doing something because you like it — leads to immediate benefits and predicts long-term success much better than extrinsic motivation,” explained Kaitlin Woolley, professor of marketing and management at Cornell’s Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management.

The Cornell team surveyed participants every four months about their motivation levels and goal adherence. Those who reported higher enjoyment of their resolution activities at the start of the year were more likely to report success four, eight, and twelve months later.

The Cultural Test

To verify these findings weren’t limited to American goal-setters, researchers replicated the study in China during Chinese New Year. Despite cultural differences in how people approach goals, the pattern held: intrinsic motivation predicted adherence while the perceived importance of outcomes did not.

The researchers also moved beyond self-reported success to objective measures. In one study, they tracked participants’ daily step counts over two weeks. Those who found walking more inherently enjoyable averaged 1,250 more steps daily compared to those motivated primarily by health benefits.

Key Findings Include:

• People who enjoyed their resolution activities were 60% more likely to complete their goals
• Intrinsic motivation remained a strong predictor throughout the entire year
• The effect held across different cultures and goal types
• Participants who focused on enjoying a health app used it 25% more than those focused on its usefulness

The Motivation Paradox

Here’s the twist: people consistently set goals for extrinsic reasons—weight loss for better health, saving money for financial security, exercise for fitness. In follow-up studies, 90% of participants said they set resolutions because they were “important in the long run” rather than “enjoyable to do.”

Yet when researchers tracked actual behavior, the importance people placed on outcomes didn’t predict success. Only the day-to-day enjoyment of the activities themselves mattered for long-term adherence.

This creates what researchers call a “motivation paradox.” We set goals based on their long-term value but stick with them based on their short-term experience.

Practical Implications

The findings suggest a different approach to goal-setting. Instead of asking “How important is this outcome?” successful goal-setters should ask “How can I make this process more enjoyable?”

The research team tested this directly by having participants use a health app. Those instructed to focus on how “fun and interesting” the app was scanned 25% more products than those told to focus on its usefulness.

Woolley noted that people often predict extrinsic motivation would be more useful in goal setting. “That belief could be holding them back though, because if a goal feels like a chore, they’re less likely to keep doing it, no matter how much they want the outcome.”

For this year’s resolution-setters, the science suggests a simple shift: find ways to enjoy the journey, not just dream about the destination.