How to make a sustainable resolution for the new year
This time of year, a lot of us set New Year’s resolutions that often include cutting out sugar and working out (again). There’s usually a familiar mix of excitement, pressure, and a quiet promise to ourselves that this will be the year it finally sticks.
It’s also the start of a season that reliably increases injuries. Why? Because many people jump back into movement with too much intensity or frequency, often layered on top of busy lives, poor sleep, and nervous systems that haven’t been asked to do much lately. That combination tends to last a few weeks…until the equally familiar “fall off” of the new routine.
Instead of blaming yourself for that cycle, I want to challenge the framework entirely.
I want to challenge you to use a persistence mindset rather than a resolution mindset.
What does that mean?
Easy.
With a resolution mindset, missing a day—or a week—feels like failure. There’s an unspoken rule that if you can’t do it perfectly, you might as well quit or “start over on Monday.” This is where the all-or-nothing belief sneaks in. It convinces you that progress only counts if it’s uninterrupted.
A persistence mindset, on the other hand, assumes that you are human. It allows for adaptation, flexibility, and continuation. When something doesn’t go as planned, the question becomes, “How do I adjust?” rather than “What’s wrong with me?”
Persistence works because you are adaptable. Your body, your nervous system, and your life are not static. The all-or-nothing approach is a big reason many of us find ourselves making the same resolutions every December 31st—new goal, same strategy, same outcome.
Why motivation isn’t the answer
The New Year tends to give us a temporary motivation boost. There’s something about a fresh calendar that makes change feel possible. But here’s the part most people don’t talk about:
Motivation is created—and it disappears much faster than we think it will.
You do not need more motivation.
What you need are systems.
Systems are what support change when motivation dips (because it will). They allow your lifestyle to shift gently over time instead of relying on a short burst of willpower that burns hot and fast. That “go hard” approach often leads to extreme soreness, fatigue, or the classic difficulty sitting down on—and standing up from—the toilet (seriously, why is this transfer always so hard?!).
When movement leaves you feeling wrecked, it’s not a badge of honor. It’s a sign the dose was wrong.
Sustainable goals start with realistic inputs
A common mistake with New Year goal setting is focusing only on the outcome:
“I want to be stronger.”
“I want to lose weight.”
“I want to be more consistent.”
Those aren’t bad goals—but they’re incomplete.
A persistence-based approach asks different questions:
How many days per week can I realistically move my body?
What kind of movement supports my energy instead of draining it?
What will I do when life gets busy, I get sick, or motivation drops?
This is where injury prevention and long-term progress overlap. Gradual increases in intensity and frequency give your tissues time to adapt. Your nervous system feels safer. Your recovery improves. And most importantly—you keep going.
There are ways to get into the shape you’re looking for without a week (or more) of discomfort. These same methods significantly reduce your risk of injury, allowing you to move consistently all year long and actually enjoy the activities you love.
Consistency doesn’t mean perfection
Consistency is not about never missing a workout. It’s about returning without punishment.
Skipping a day doesn’t erase progress.
Needing rest doesn’t mean you’re lazy.
Adjusting the plan doesn’t mean you failed.
A persistence mindset reframes success as:
Showing up more often than not
Making adjustments instead of quitting
Letting progress be nonlinear
This is especially important if you’ve had injuries in the past, feel intimidated by exercise, or are tired of restarting every few months. Your body remembers how it’s been treated before—both physically and mentally. Gentle, steady inputs build trust. Force breaks it.
How The Persistence Project supports this approach
This is exactly why The Persistence Project exists.
Through virtual coaching, we focus on helping you make steady progress toward your specific goals—whether that’s returning to exercise, improving performance, or simply feeling better in your body day to day. Just as important, we provide education and guidance when adjustments need to be made, because they always do.
Instead of asking you to overhaul your life in January, we help you build something sustainable that still works in February…March…July…and beyond.
If you’re ready to step out of the resolution cycle and into a persistence-based approach that actually respects your body and your life, this might be the year you finally stop “starting over.”
And that’s a resolution worth keeping—without calling it one.
