Masterman’s New Year’s Resolutions

It's no secret that every year around December people are filled with a powerful motivation for self-improvement. New Year's resolutions come from an urge to cleanse the missteps of the past year and instill healthy habits and goals for the future. The first known variety of New Year's resolutions or celebrations started 4,000 years ago in Babylonia. While Babylonians made promises to new kings or gods that would bring favor if fulfilled and consequences if broken, modern celebrators are not held to the same standards. 

  A 2024 Pew Research study showed more than 60% of participants already falter in their resolutions less than a month in, With more research showing less than 20% of people sustain their commitments over 2 years. In the same study, stimulus control, reinforcement, and willpower were all heavily correlated with the success of sticking to the resolutions, signaling an inherent barrier to entry for efficient goal setting. While it's impractical to call for everyone making New Year's resolutions to simply “toughen up” and brave through the challenges, there are practical steps anyone can take to increase their chances of success. 

The first thing is to set a realistic and easily measurable goal. The term SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely) goal or approach-oriented goal both characterize well-outlined plans that are significantly easier to stick to, especially in comparison to avoidance-oriented goals. Another impactful factor is external support or accountability, which is particularly impactful for long-term sustainability. Finally, self-confidence and patience are key to instilling agency in fulfilling resolutions and turning them into fundamental habits.

Masterman is no different from the general public in its craze for improvement, but it's essential to take that ambition and apply it through New Year's resolutions effectively. 

Nationally, the Pew Research study collected data concluding that most New Years’ Resolutions for 2024 focused on “health, exercise, or diet,” especially among young adults ages 18-29. Other popular resolutions involve managing finances and improving bonds with people. Take a look at what fellow 

Masterman students are trying to achieve in the coming year: 

“We’re going to hit the gym everyday.”

“Make new friends.”

“I’m going to start doing yoga all the time.”

“Stop gambling as much, you know what I mean? Life can take you to a bunch of places, but when you gamble you just keep yourself in a hole that’s hard to get out of.”

“Be more open-minded.”

“Stop saying sorry so much.”

“Get into Harvard.”

“I want to find myself.”

“I want to stop wasting my money on useless things.”

“I want to be more grateful for the smaller things in my life that I often take for granted.”

“Delete all social media off my phone so I can be more productive.”

“I want to have time management between sports and school.”

“I want to grow my hair out more.”