Of the millions of Americans who say they will commit to a New Year’s Resolution every year, less than 8% actually stick to them. These goals, which up to 45% of Americans have said they make, vary anywhere from eating healthier, waking up earlier, or learning a new skill or language. Each year, many dedicate themselves to these goals for a few weeks, maybe longer for some, but in the end, most end up forgetting or forgoing their goals soon after the new year. This fact has many asking why people make resolutions in the first place. Along with people wanting to believe that they will follow through, many make goals for themselves because it’s something of a tradition for them. There is a rich history behind New Year’s resolutions that may make people want to carry on the centuries-old tradition.

The Start of New Year’s Resolutions

New Year’s Resolutions are said to date back 40 centuries ago with the ancient Babylonians. Along with starting this tradition, the Babylonians were also credited with holding the first recorded celebrations of a new trip around the sun. For them, a new year started not in January but in March because this was when they planted their crops. The ancient Babylonians held a huge 12-day long festival to celebrate the New Year. They also crowned a new king or committed more loyalty towards the current one. This festival was called Akitu. During Akitu, the Babylonians also made promises to their gods so they could repay debts and repent sins. They believed that if they kept these promises, they would be rewarded the next year. The start of these promises are considered the birth of New Year’s resolutions. Similar practices occurred in Ancient Rome and early Christianity. 

Though some may want to continue the work of early civilizations, it is probably safe to assume that most people participate in making goals for themselves because they were either introduced to the idea at a young age or they noticed that others did it and wanted to do it as well. However, the main question people ask regards why people can’t seem to succeed in these goals. 

New Year’s Desolations

It is a bit unfair to compare the success rates of resolutions without talking about the resolutions themselves. If one wants to use their phone less one year, it is much easier to succeed in that than if one wants to become fluent in Japanese throughout the year. Keeping this in mind, any goal has its reasons why it may fail, no matter how challenging it is for the individual. According to Insider, a few reasons why a resolution may fail are they aren’t specific enough, they are too negative, or it has something to do with someone else and not yourself. 

A resolution that is degrading how you acted the year prior may make you feel guilty or not worthy of change. Believing in yourself is a huge factor in success, and if you don’t believe that you should change, change won’t happen. 

If a resolution is so broad that you can’t really zone in on one aspect, then it will most likely fail. For example, if you say that you want to be healthier this year, you may be being too broad. To make it more specific, and therefore more likely to succeed, you should make it your goal to eat more vegetables and go on a walk every day. Making many small and easy goals is much better and wiser than making a large goal that isn’t specific. 

Lastly, if you make a goal that you can’t entirely control, then you can’t do or change anything to make it successful, which can be frustrating. Making the town cleaner is a great example; you can pick up litter and drive in a carpool more, but you cannot control what others do. This makes it easy for a goal like this to fail. 

Not Always a Waste

Even though your goal may have failed a year ago, that doesn’t mean you should give up on making goals, even if they’re not at the New Years. It is always a good idea to work on making yourself a better person. Plus, if you need any tips on how to make your goals to succeed, you can always reference the tips above!