Redefining Success: Setting Meaningful New Year’s Resolutions for 2025

It's officially New Year's Eve and we're counting down the hours to 2025. And it wouldn't be a new year without—you guessed it—New Year's resolutions.

Unfortunately, as popular as the tradition is, New Year's resolutions often fail. According to a large-scale study, after six months into the new year, the majority of people give up on their resolutions.¹

There are many reasons why most people fail to commit long-term to New Year's resolutions, from difficulties in changing behaviour and forming new habits to lack of motivation.

But what if this failure also has something to do with the goals themselves?

This year, we're taking a closer look at the motivations behind our resolutions—and if we're focusing on the right types of goals that will ultimately lead us to success.

Jump to:

• • Why Aesthetics-Based Resolutions Fall Short
  • The Benefits of a Health-Oriented Approach
  • How to Create Resolutions with Intention
  • How to Stick to Your Resolutions

Why Aesthetics-Based Resolutions Fall Short

Every year, some of the top New Year's resolutions include goals like "lose weight" and "exercise more".² Now, there's nothing inherently wrong with aspirations like these, but what requires more attention is the intent behind the goals.

If the reason behind these and similar goals is to achieve a certain aesthetic, it can lead to negative emotions associated with your ambitions. This may involve comparing your body type to others', pressure to look a certain way, and unrealistic expectations.

Additionally, if your goals are simply aesthetic and you aren't prioritizing your health, you may end up resorting to unhealthy or extreme measures to achieve these goals. All of which may lead to the inevitable downfall of your resolutions.

You don't want goals that are dependent on how you look, but rather, how you feel.

Lastly, if your goals are appearance-oriented, you may wind up relying on external validation from others to obtain a sense of achievement.

This also presents an issue because if you don't receive this validation, you'll be let down. Myprotein ambassador and fitness trainer Josh Webster-Heenan reminds us that setting a goal in order to attain the approval of others usually ends in disappointment.

Personal experience reminds me that I find myself more fulfilled when I tailor my goals to my aspirations rather than society’s.

For this reason, the only validation you should require in chasing your goals is that from yourself.

Josh explains that when it comes to fitness-related resolutions, it's easy to have an aesthetic goal in mind. But to succeed in goals that have previously proven difficult, the trainer recommends focusing on the process rather than the result.

If you can orchestrate a process that’s sustainable on a daily basis, the results will come.

While it's okay to want to look a certain way, remember that your health, performance, and personal growth should take priority over looks.

The Benefits of A Health-Oriented Approach

As we approach 2025, society has definitely made some headway regarding prioritizing well-being over looks. As a whole, we're more inclusive and able to recognize that there is no one body type that represents "healthy". However, with that being said, we're still bombarded daily by messaging surrounding physical appearance.

Despite this, imagine if your resolutions were focused solely on improving your health and well-being, and had nothing to do with looks.

The goal this year is to redefine what success looks like and rather than focusing on getting a six-pack or fitting into a certain size, prioritizing things that will improve your well-being and daily life like strength, energy levels, endurance, and mental clarity.

Making changes that support these goals will give you a positive outlook on your resolutions—you're not punishing yourself, you're helping yourself.

This involves setting resolutions like improving your sleep quality, eating properly, or achieving a personal best in endurance or strength. These goals not only enhance physical health but also contribute to emotional resilience, mental health, and long-term happiness.

Ambassador Devin Castell reminds us that health-oriented goals are more valuable than aesthetics. She elaborates, "I try to think about the long run of things and think 'in 10 years, will I be grateful for a healthy body or one that is unhealthy yet “looks” healthy?'"

Thus, through striving for health-focused goals, you'll promote a positive mentality and will have greater motivation to keep growing, plus you'll likely see some physical changes as well.

How to Create Resolutions with Intention

When creating resolutions, it's important to hone in on your intentions and ensure they are aligned with positive self-change and the goals you genuinely desire.

If you create goals that are too radical or ones that are fuelled by external factors rather than intrinsic motivation, you'll likely have a harder time succeeding.

Josh explains that when he creates resolutions, he gears them toward projects or processes he's already working on. He adds that he tries to avoid making radical changes as they're not sustainable. 

Additionally, the ambassador advises using lessons from the previous year to guide the one ahead.

He explains, "When approaching the new year, I love reflecting on the previous year, what worked and what didn’t. When it comes to resolutions, I like to set the bar higher than I previously have.

My intention is to continuously better myself and improve upon what I’ve done. I try to practice gratitude for all that I have accomplished but also use a lens of what more can I accomplish this next year."

Similarly, when crafting resolutions, Devin also emphasizes using the past to shape the future:

"I reflect back on the last year and think about what things have bothered me but I didn't take much initiative to change. I then come up with a plan (a reasonable one) on small steps I can take that will help jumpstart my journey.

My goals have intent behind them. I like to create two different goals for myself a year, one that will benefit my health and one that will push me out of my comfort zone (ex. My health goal was to reach 10,000 steps per day and my out-of-comfort-zone goal was to run a half marathon."

Additionally, a popular strategy you can utilize to craft your goals with intention is the SMART framework, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Start with your "why" to ensure the resolution is personally meaningful and not simply something you want because of social pressure.

If you're unsure of your New Year's resolutions, don't stress. Making resolutions can be a dynamic process—it's okay to adjust and modify your resolutions as you go, as long as you're putting in the work and being consistent with your progress.

Begin with small, realistic goals that are centered around your well-being and you can go from there.

How to Stick to Your Resolutions

Once you've created your resolutions, you'll need to come up with a strategy for success. The good news is, there are many things you can do to help ensure you stick to your goals:

1. Build a Support System

Research shows that having a support system can help significantly when it comes to sticking to your resolutions. Several studies highlight the positive effects of social support on success in achieving goals.¹

For whatever you're doing, it's always easier if you have someone cheering you on and holding you accountable—and fitness is no exception. Having a gym buddy or personal trainer to exercise with and report your progress to can make the experience more enjoyable and social.

Additionally, talking to someone about your goals allows you to gain advice and helpful tips from others, making the process easier.

Devin adds that it's beneficial to surround yourself with people who are supportive of your goals as well as like-minded people.

No matter what your resolution, find someone who can accompany you on the journey. Track and share your progress, reward yourself for small milestones, and discuss the process.

2. Focus on Identity

A proven way to stay consistent with your goals is to emphasize not just what you're doing but who you want to be.

Josh explains, "Focus on the person you want to become and backtrack from there—what kinds of things does that person do on a daily basis? Become obsessed with the small daily habits to create that identity rather than solely on the identity itself."

Aligning your goals with identity will provide a deeper motivation rooted in your core values and the person you want to be. This will create a strong "why" behind your actions and a solid foundation for making change.

Additionally, people tend to be more motivated when focusing on an identity. For example, rather than telling yourself "I have to go to the gym", tell yourself, "I'm an athlete, and athletes go to the gym".

Goals that are identity-oriented will also give you a strong sense of satisfaction and allow you to stay aligned with self-growth and positive change.

Finally, this way of thinking makes it easier to stick to new habits long-term, as you consider them part of who you are, rather than tasks you must accomplish.

3. Position Yourself for Success

When sticking to goals, in addition to the goals themselves, the environment you create for yourself is vital for success. Making positive changes doesn't happen in a vacuum—it's essential you create an environment that will foster growth and achievement.

Devin explains that the prep work is a huge part of reaching a goal. She adds, "If your goal is to work out before the sun rises each morning, pack your gym bag and pick your gym outfit out the night prior."

It's not enough to simply set a goal, you also have to ensure you have the tools, resources, and routines in place to make progress realistic.

Thus, when creating goals, think about what you'll need to accomplish them and the small changes you'll have to make to stay consistent.

If you approach your resolutions with preparation and thoughtfulness, they will be significantly easier to achieve.

4. Habit Formation

A final strategy for accomplishing resolutions is forming new habits. Significant, long-term change begins with smaller changes along the way, in the form of new habits.

There is much research linking achieving goals to habit formation. Habits are so useful for creating change because they are automatic behaviors that don't require thought or effort.

At first, you will feel the changes to your routine, but once your new behaviours become habits, you will be able to perform them without intentional effort and discomfort.

Josh advises, "Start with small, actionable steps that are a reasonable and logical jump from your current habits. If you want to begin losing weight, practice mindful eating and daily exercise.

Do not try and slash calories in half and start running 10 miles a day—that’ll lead to burnout quickly. Instead, incorporate more fibrous and filling foods into your diet such as lots of fruits & veggies.

Start pairing higher-carb meals like pasta or bread with high-protein sources. Start going on daily walks and finding a fitness routine that works, like 3-5 days of structured exercise a week. Come back to your "why" on a daily basis."

Take Home Message

As we head into the new year toward new goals and positive change, remember that progress is rarely linear, and every step—big or small—is a meaningful part of the process.

Embracing the journey means celebrating the effort you put in, learning from setbacks, and valuing growth over perfection. Your resolutions are not just about reaching a destination but about becoming a stronger, healthier, and more resilient version of yourself.

By focusing on health-oriented goals and redefining success on your own terms, you create a path that’s both rewarding and sustainable. This year, commit to the journey, and let each day bring you closer to the life you want to live.