2025 is just around the corner. For many of us, a brand new year brings with it the familiar urge to start fresh or reinvent ourselves. Whether that’s through a more active lifestyle, eating healthier, saving more money, spending less time on social media, or getting organized.
It builds intrinsic motivation: New Year’s resolutions often fail because they’re driven by external expectations (e.g., peer pressure, social media, societal ideals, etc.) and unrealistic timelines, says Dr. Amanda Long, a clinical psychologist. Resolutions are also problematic as they are used to focus on everything that’s “wrong” or needs to be “fixed,” says Jeanne Sparrow, author of Fearless Authenticity. A self-audit is a better place to start as it’s based on self-awareness, curiosity, and a growth mindset, which builds intrinsic motivation. Research suggests intrinsically motivated people are less likely to quit than their extrinsically motivated counterparts.