“What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?” Robert Schuller’s infamous question invites us to shoot for our wildest goals, afraid of neither the ceiling nor the floor of our limits. And what better time to set new goals for ourselves than at the turn of the new year? In a study conducted by the University of Scranton last year, upwards of 45% of Americans explicitly commit to making ­ and attempting ­ a New Year’s resolution, annually. For many, the holiday season serves as a yearly checkpoint: a collective, fresh slate for guilt­-free self­-assessment, and a time to reach for new targets. The pledges we make commonly reflect the start of a journey towards healthier, happier, and, generally, more benevolent versions of ourselves, and can be healthy choices, when executed correctly. But just how often do people actually follow through on their holiday vows?

A “lack of willpower” is cited as the most significant cause of New Year’s resolution failures, according to Forbes.com. Only about 8% of Americans who make resolutions actually evade the temptation to cheat over the course of the year. Amongst Central students, being kinder and eating healthier were noted as goals for 2015, but several students agreed that life without resolutions was also a commonality. According to sophomore Gabby V., it’s the high margin for slip­-ups that deters many from even making resolutions: “[New Year’s resolutions can be] so cliché. That’s why I’ve given up on them. People say they’re going to lose weight, and then they’ll crack and starting eating Doritos within a week.” When striving to be healthier, something as simple as an in-­the-­moment junk food can trigger the impulse to cheat and lead to the “I’ll just have one bite” cycle, until we are out of touch completely with the determined, good­intentioned people we were on New Year’s Eve. A round of customary guilt follows, and suddenly, our self-esteem plummets as the will to continue striving towards our goal fizzles away.

Termed by psychoanalysts as the “what-­the-­hell” effect, the downfall of most New Year’s resolutions is characterized by internal dialogue akin to, “Oh well. I’ve already ruined my resolution. What the heck, I might as well ruin it some more and start again next year.” The process centers around admitting defeat, submitting to a weakness, and slipping back into an old habit almost instantaneously. The first step to making more meaningful ­ and more successful ­ resolutions is as simple as recognizing that mistakes have their place, as does getting back on-­track after they happen.

According to Harvard professors Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey, the majority of the goals we set for ourselves fall into two, overarching categories: “technical goals” and “adaptive goals.” A technical resolution ­ like taking up a new language, or learning how to play an instrument ­follows a more sequential approach; when setting these types of cause-­and-­effect goals, we manage our time and behaviors to yield the specific changes we would like to see. Adaptive goals, in contrast ­ like “losing some weight” ­ require deeper change, can be more

demanding, and don’t make for the most effective resolutions. Adaptive goals can be vague, and with resolutions over sustained amounts of time, ambiguity doesn’t always lead to success. In a blind pursuit of happiness and self-­betterment, it can be easy to lose sight of our motives and exactly how our resolutions will make us happier, better individuals. These undefined “whys” leave us searching for excuses when the going gets tough, a design that nearly blueprints for cutting ourselves slack and returning to old habits.

It’s easier to stray from your intentions without a friend, family member, calendar, or reward system ­ some type of tangible metric ­ to help you along and hold you accountable. Put up a whiteboard or calendar, and list your goals. Set dates, scribble notes, and chronicle your progress in a visual way so you can invite others to encourage you, or even get involved themselves. Set realistic, relevant goals for yourself, and tailor them to accommodate hectic schedules, budgets, and your level of commitment. A goal may seem within reach in your head,but unless you make it your own you risk setting yourself up for failure over a broad, poorly-defined objective that you will abandon later.

Resolutions ­ and general goal-­setting­ can have a significant place in our lives, if we allow them to. Some are intimidated by the span of time required to maintain a New Year’s resolution, andrule themselves out for fear of failing. Self-­improvement can be daunting, but don’t let a fear of failure hold you back. Instead of opting for the year­long challenge or lengthy bucket lists, aim for smaller, shorter­term goals to ease into the process. Don’t be discouraged by mistakes, and don’t hesitate to adapt your aims and incentives to make achieving your goals that much easier. Habitual goal­-setting can make reaching your objectives more successful, more purposeful, and ultimately, more meaningful.