I’m Just Saying: New year, same old disappointments
Why wait till January 1st to be a better person?
Every year, we rush to scribble down our goals, establishing new ways of becoming the best version of ourselves.
The idea of new hopes and resolutions is exciting, and starting the new year with a clean slate appeals to many.
Rebranding yourself as soon as the clock hits midnight is evidently impossible, but that’s the thing with relying on arbitrary dates: we get to be excited about things. Much like deciding to start a diet on a Monday, it’s the belief in a fresh start that drives us, even if the timing is ultimately unpredictable.
Unfortunately, that excitement alone isn’t enough to carry us through. Too often, these resolutions fail not because we’re unmotivated, but because they’re built on shaky foundations. We tend to set these resolutions in response to external pressures rather than our own genuine desires. For instance, weight loss or workout goals often stem from unreachable societal standards rather than personal wellness objectives. A study by the Fisher College of Business shows that only 9 per cent of Americans actually achieve their New Year’s goal, while 23 per cent of people quit by the first week, and 43 per cent quit by the end of January.
Why are we obsessed with changing everything overnight? How has social media and endless self-improvement content pressured us to constantly perform these changes?
Simultaneously, industries are cashing in on our constant desire for change, offering quick fixes that rarely stick. They don’t make us fail, but they profit off the hope that we’ll succeed. They thrive on our obsession with reinvention. They capitalize on our insecurities by creating an endless cycle of promises, selling quick fixes that rarely deliver sustainable results.
As soon as the clock turns to midnight, we get bombarded by ads for niche workout programs promising that if you start on Jan. 10, you'll see results by March 3, or some other oddly specific timeline. “In a week, you’ll feel it; in two weeks, you’ll see it; in four weeks, you’ll hear it.” What a convenient opportunity presented just in time for the new year. It sounds like the perfect resolution. Except you’ll take the first two classes, proud of your initial commitment, then life will get in the way and you’ll never return.
Resolutions don’t fail simply because of capitalism. They fail because they tend to be unmeaningful. Social media and marketing campaigns exploit our desire for change, selling us the idea that transformation can be immediate if only we buy into the right thing. Sure, it’s nice to start a new period of your life feeling motivated, but let’s be real—the resolutions we choose are things we haven’t done before for a reason. And, shockingly, that reason isn’t just that it wasn’t New Year’s. New Year’s is indeed just an arbitrary marker. Resolutions, however, don’t have to be.
Achievable and sustainable goals aren’t dictated by dates or hype but grounded in what truly fits our lives.
This article originally appeared in Volume 45, Issue 7, published January 14, 2025.
