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The last month of 2025 has officially started, as many get ready for the 2026 New Year's, and resolutions enter the conversation. Although making resolutions is one thing, keeping them is another. Forbes Health stated that it only takes 2 weeks for most Americans to quit their resolutions. In 2024, only 8% of people surveyed had their goal last more than a month. Studies show how making a few changes can help adjust the outcome of our goal-setting. Goal setting with your family can not only help you stick to your resolutions but also foster a more collaborative family.
Psychology Today explained in 2025 that ‘a staggering 92 percent of people never achieve their goals.’ Setting your New Year's resolutions is one of the first steps you take in a new year. Making sure you have the tools you need to achieve your goals can set the tone for how your year starts. In a study conducted by The Society of Personality and Social Psychology in October 2025, it found that setting goals together leads to ‘greater goal pursuit effort’ from gaining more support. Being a cheerleader on the sidelines drives the confidence for others to keep going.
While telling someone is a significant first step in goal setting, you want to make sure you work with the right person. ‘Does Sharing Goals Help or Hurt Your Chances of Success?’ by Charlie Custer at Dataquest explores goal setting and sharing, drawing on different articles and research studies. Custer explains, “It can actually be demotivating when your progress is monitored by a stranger.” On the other hand, his research found that working with someone you trust, like a family member, can help keep you on track. Setting goals with someone you trust and have a strong relationship with can help foster a better feeling of mutual trust and communication.
Next, one of the most essential things in building strong relationships is clear communication. Goal setting helps open the conversation not only about goals but also about what is truly important to everyone. ParentCo explains, “If we don’t look ahead as a family, we won’t move forward.” ParentCo goes deeper by explaining that when a family sets goals together, it doesn't just help with motivation, but clear communication in the family. “When family goals are set collaboratively, it provides space for the thoughts and concerns of both parent and child to be expressed. When we hear and understand the perspective of other family members, we’re more inclined to understand and empathize with each other’s ideas. This sets a tone of mutual understanding and respect, while building family morale when we work as a team.”
Christine Carter writes in the January 2025 issue of Greater Good Magazine that there are different ways to support others in their goals. Support their autonomy, encourage their competence, Foster relatedness, and promote mindful self-awareness. Showing that you view someone as fully capable of achieving their goal helps create autonomy by asking them what they want from the resolution. To promote mindful self-awareness by not asking if they did it, but instead how it went. The conversation should always be encouraging, not reprimanding for not doing something one day, but instead talking about how to move forward the next day.
Creating a sense of purpose for each goal can help improve your own mental health. When you create open and clear boundaries with yourself, it can enhance not only your work life but also your personal life. Having someone cheering you on from the side can push you even further with your resolutions. What are your goals going into 2026? Who will help you achieve your goals?
Goal Setting for Success!
It’s Not Just About the Goals, but the People You Set Them With
Psychology Today explained in 2025 that ‘a staggering 92 percent of people never achieve their goals.’ Setting your New Year's resolutions is one of the first steps you take in a new year. Making sure you have the tools you need to achieve your goals can set the tone for how your year starts. In a study conducted by The Society of Personality and Social Psychology in October 2025, it found that setting goals together leads to ‘greater goal pursuit effort’ from gaining more support. Being a cheerleader on the sidelines drives the confidence for others to keep going.
While telling someone is a significant first step in goal setting, you want to make sure you work with the right person. ‘Does Sharing Goals Help or Hurt Your Chances of Success?’ by Charlie Custer at Dataquest explores goal setting and sharing, drawing on different articles and research studies. Custer explains, “It can actually be demotivating when your progress is monitored by a stranger.” On the other hand, his research found that working with someone you trust, like a family member, can help keep you on track. Setting goals with someone you trust and have a strong relationship with can help foster a better feeling of mutual trust and communication.
Next, one of the most essential things in building strong relationships is clear communication. Goal setting helps open the conversation not only about goals but also about what is truly important to everyone. ParentCo explains, “If we don’t look ahead as a family, we won’t move forward.” ParentCo goes deeper by explaining that when a family sets goals together, it doesn't just help with motivation, but clear communication in the family. “When family goals are set collaboratively, it provides space for the thoughts and concerns of both parent and child to be expressed. When we hear and understand the perspective of other family members, we’re more inclined to understand and empathize with each other’s ideas. This sets a tone of mutual understanding and respect, while building family morale when we work as a team.”
Christine Carter writes in the January 2025 issue of Greater Good Magazine that there are different ways to support others in their goals. Support their autonomy, encourage their competence, Foster relatedness, and promote mindful self-awareness. Showing that you view someone as fully capable of achieving their goal helps create autonomy by asking them what they want from the resolution. To promote mindful self-awareness by not asking if they did it, but instead how it went. The conversation should always be encouraging, not reprimanding for not doing something one day, but instead talking about how to move forward the next day.
Creating a sense of purpose for each goal can help improve your own mental health. When you create open and clear boundaries with yourself, it can enhance not only your work life but also your personal life. Having someone cheering you on from the side can push you even further with your resolutions. What are your goals going into 2026? Who will help you achieve your goals?
