Still Abandoning Your New Year’s Resolution Too Quickly? Try This Instead.

If you have already given up your New Year’s Resolutiondon’t worry. One estimate suggests that around 80% of people fail to keep their resolutions after mid-February. But the problem is not you. That’s the whole concept of resolutions. They’re too vague, too ambitious, and too easy to forget once the initial excitement wears off.

In 2026, ignore the resolution completely. If you really want to make lasting change, consider habit tracking instead. It’s a simple system that focuses on small, daily actions and is much more effective in helping you build the kind of life you’re actually trying to create.

What is habit tracking?

Habit tracking—the practice of tracking the little things you do every day—helps you set small, achievable goals that add up over time to produce huge changes in your life. It’s a powerful tool that will help you establish healthy habits that will last for years.

Habits are so important because they are ultimately responsible for any change we make in our lives. I will never be able to publish a novel if I don’t sit down every day and put words on the page. I can never get stronger if I don’t training every day (or at least a few times a week). I can never be a more aware and enlightened person if I don’t do this. meditate every morning.

Any huge goal you want to achieve is virtually insurmountable unless you break it down into small habits that, over time, will get you to your final destination.

Why does habit tracking work?

I’ve been tracking my habits for a little over a year and have seen incredible results. I print a worksheet at the start of each week and hang it on my bedroom door. Some examples of my personal daily habits are doing a strength-focused activity. trainingread 10 pages of an academic book, write 500 words and floss.

Over the past year, I was finally able to do two pull-ups in a row, I learned more about philosophy and world conflicts, I agreed to read a short story I wrote on one of my favorite podcasts, and best of all, my dentist no longer pesters me about flossing.

Of course, there have been many days this year where I have failed to implement my habits, but the way I have followed my habit tracking journey highlights many of the reasons why it is so effective.

First of all, it’s extremely visible. I have to review my habits every time I leave my room. Setting obvious reminders to complement your habits is one of three key methods James Clear outlines in the book. Atomic Habitsand by looking at my list several times a day, that’s exactly what I do.

Second, by physically checking the boxes, I create a reward for myself. Making the habit satisfying is another one of Clear’s guidelines, and I can attest that there’s nothing more satisfying than having an entire week’s worth of habits ticked off perfectly. There’s a reason why companies like Snapchat use the concept of “streaks” to motivate their users to continue using the app.

And third, my habits are easy to do. I’m never going to sit down and write an entire book, but 500 (or even 50) words is a very digestible task. It doesn’t take too much time or energy, but if I stick to it consistently, I’ll have a complete manuscript by the end of the year.

How can you start tracking habits?

You can turn almost any New Year’s resolution into a daily habit. For example, saving more money can be as simple as skipping Starbucks and brewing your coffee at home every day. Invest in self-care may mean meditating or taking a warm bath every evening before bed, get in shape it’s about making a few small exercise every day and you can meet your annual goal of reading more by reading as little as three pages a day.

First, choose one or two mega-goals that you would like to achieve. Start small: You can always add more goals to your habit tracker once you get used to it.

Next, choose a method to track your habits. You can go old school like me and print out an Excel spreadsheet with the days in columns and a habit on each row, or you can try the many mobile apps. Momentum Habit Tracker lets you export data to a spreadsheet and integrates seamlessly with your iPhone. If you are an Android user, Habitica is a cool app that turns your habits into a motivating RPG game.

Don’t let failure discourage you

If you miss just one day, it’s no big deal: Researchers have found that a single missed opportunity has a negligible effect on habit formation. Just try to get back into the routine the next day.

I will also share some helpful tips that I learned through trial and error. First of all, if you find that you are constantly lacking habits, they are probably too difficult. You want to set yourself up for success: If you find that you can’t write 1,000 words a day, cut it down to 100, or even just 10.

Likewise, learn to give yourself an occasional break. If you’re going on vacation, maybe break the habit of not eating dessert before you get home. Habit tracking is meant for long work, and there’s no point in trying to be perfect 100% of the time.

Finally, don’t choose habits or New Year’s resolutions that you don’t enjoy (at least on some level). For years I tried to force myself to lift weights according to a strict routine using dumbbells and gym machines, and I could never stick to it. Now I focus on bodyweight movements that are fun and dynamic – pull-ups, handstands and other monkey bar tricks – and I have always done my workouts for a whole year.