Orlando, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) — As the calendar flips to 2026, millions of Americans are making resolutions. Research from the Pew Research Center shows the most common resolutions center on health and money — about 79 percent focus on exercise or diet, and 61 percent aim to save more. But research shows only a small fraction will follow through.
Every January, the pledge is the same … whether you want to lose weight, save more, be better. But come February, reality hits and motivation fades.
About 77 percent of people start strong week one, but by week two, nearly a quarter have already quit. By the end of January, more than 40 percent have given up. Overall, only nine percent of Americans who make resolutions actually reach them.
Behavioral scientists say success comes from strategy. Research shows you’re more likely to stick with a goal that’s specific, fun, and trackable. Experts recommend setting approach-oriented goals — like ‘I’ll walk 30 minutes a day’ instead of ‘I’ll stop being lazy.’ Break big goals into small steps and use tools to monitor your progress. Apps like Strides, Habitica, or Coach.me can help you stay motivated and accountable.
So, whether your 2026 resolution is to run more, stress less, or save better, success is not about the size of the goal, but the structure you build around it.
Accountability matters. Research shows people who publicly commit to a goal or share it with a resolution buddy are much more likely to persist. And experts say starting gradually and adjusting as you go keeps motivation alive. Even if you slip, the data shows that progress matters. The goal isn’t perfection, it’s persistence.
Contributors to this news report include: Marsha Lewis, Producer; Bob Walko, Editor.
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Sources:
https://www.driveresearch.com/market-research-company-blog/new-years-resolutions-statistics
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7725288
https://fisher.osu.edu/blogs/leadreadtoday/why-most-new-years-resolutions-fail
https://www.chicagobooth.edu/review/data-driven-new-years-resolution
