Here are strategies I have developed from my experiences setting resolutions, including failed ones. There is much to learn from what works and what doesn’t. 2025 can be your year of making meaningful changes in your life with attainable New Year's resolutions.
What is the Best Next Step?
First, take the “Best Next Step” approach instead of focusing too much on the end goal. This is a principle that many doctors, residents, and medical students know far too well. Our extensive testing over the years involves countless questions asking us, “What is the best next step for this patient?” It’s important to know treatment goals, but medical decision-making often comes down to what needs to be done next to get there. Maybe it’s a test like a CT scan or a blood test to get a more precise diagnosis. It could be the rapid stabilization of a patient who comes in with an emergency in a situation that is more important to treat a life-threatening symptom before reaching a diagnosis.
I have applied this principle to my personal life when setting goals because my end destination is too far away. I need to decide what I’m doing now or it will all seem far too overwhelming. Think about what is manageable and achievable. Yes, you may have big dreams and an idealized life. But, you won’t get there in a year, and that’s okay. You may have a long list of things you want to change in your life and it’s overwhelming. Pick what is urgent. Pick what you would consider to be that medical emergency. And decide what the Best Next Step is.
How to Change Your Mindset for New Year's Resolutions in 2025
To succeed, change your mindset about failure. You have to embrace failure as a learning opportunity. Before setting goals, examine the goals you’ve set in the past. If you’re like me, you may have trouble remembering the goals you set that failed because you subconsciously suppress them, but it’s so useful to reflect and try to think about those times and what you can learn from those experiences.
You also have to change your mindset about external and internal factors. It’s useful to list these while pondering what affects your behavior and pursuit of your goals. Some factors are external or depend on your environment or other people while others are internal and have everything to do with you and your choices. Every goal is going to be affected by both internal and external factors, so you are not doing yourself any favors by just focusing on one or the other. When someone only looks at external factors as barriers to achieving a goal, that is what we mean when someone is making excuses and blaming other things for why they can’t meet their goal. On the other hand, someone who only looks at internal factors is doomed for failure because they aren’t acknowledging that their pursuit of a goal is not just a matter of willpower but also setting themselves up for success and being aware of the external barriers at play.
New Year's Resolution Ideas
Don’t know what your goal is yet? I have some ideas!
Drink a bottle of water (or two) every day
Have vegetables with every meal
Walk 25 minutes a day
Quit your unhealthy food habit
Don’t eat after dinner
Don’t eat between meals
Swap a food in your diet
Swap ice cream for sorbet or frozen grapes/berries
Swap chips or pretzels for popcorn or nuts
Practice gratitude (name 5 things a day)
I hope these ideas were helpful! For more about creating New Year's Resolutions that you'll actually keep, listen to the episode of First Line here.
For more resolution ideas, listen to this episode of First Line.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How do I change my mindset about failure?
To shift your mindset, view failure as a valuable learning opportunity. Reflect on past goals that didn’t work out and analyze what went wrong. This helps you avoid repeating mistakes.
2. How do I determine which goals to prioritize?
Start by assessing what feels most urgent or impactful in your life. Prioritize small but meaningful changes, like improving your diet or increasing your physical activity. Picking a single, clear focus will help prevent overwhelm and lead to more consistent progress.
3. What are some simple resolutions I can try if I don’t know where to start?
Drink a bottle of water daily.
Add vegetables to every meal.
Walk for 25 minutes each day.
Practice gratitude by naming five things you’re thankful for daily.