More than two in five Americans (45%) will make their friends and family aware of their New Year’s Resolution this year so they don’t fall off track, according to new research.
A survey of 2,000 U.S. adults found that many will go so far as to enlist the help of a “resolution buddy” or household members such as their partner or spouse (42%) or even their children (33%) in order to reach their goals.
Others will look to their parents (31%), siblings (26%) or their best friend (26%) for support.
Partners and spouses ranked as the No. 1 most likely person to actually keep Americans on track (32%), followed by their kids (17%) and parents (15%).
Broadcast-ready version of this research story
Nearly three-quarters of Americans typically establish a New Year’s Resolution (74%), but only 48% have been successful in years past.
Almost half (49%) even admit to typically dropping their resolutions before spring has sprung.
According to respondents, it takes about four months to determine whether or not a resolution was successful and key markers such as being happier (36%), healthier (31%) or whether they see any benefit at all (30%) also indicate achievement.
Conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Dave’s Killer Bread, results found that in 2025, almost two-thirds of all respondents (63%) are more determined than ever to reach their goals.
In fact, 82% of Americans surveyed are confident that they have the formula to make their resolutions stick from here on out.
Based on previous success, you should start thinking about your goals about three and a half months in advance, or by the end of September. Those resolutions should also stay in place for one year (31%) for the most benefits.
This year, Americans are also only biting off what they can chew and are setting an average of three resolutions (2.5), down from an average of four (3.6) in years past.
On top of enlisting a resolution buddy, choosing realistic goals (42%) or ones they enjoy working towards (29%) are some of the top ways Americans plan to stay on track in 2025.
One in five (21%) will even give themselves more grace and will adjust their goal throughout the year to make it more attainable or manageable.
“Even with the best intentions, it’s no secret that many New Year’s resolutions don’t make it past the first few months…sometimes not even past a couple weeks,” said Cristina Watson, Sr. Director of Brand Management for Dave’s Killer Bread. “But a reset doesn’t have to be overwhelming—it’s an opportunity to implement simple, achievable goals, while giving yourself credit for small wins along the way. This can help build habits that truly stick, setting you up for long term success.”
Results also found that Americans believe that fun resolutions are more attainable than something that is necessary to better their health (37% vs 30%).
Taking things a step further, something that is practical or easy to integrate into daily life is ranked above a goal that has long-term benefits in terms of attainability (28% vs 25%).
One in five (20%) also recognize the importance of taking the time to consider and thoroughly plan your goals.
More specifically, the most achievable New Year’s Resolutions are self-care, such as spending more time on themselves or prioritizing their well-being (46%).
One-third believe that organization or home goals, such as reducing clutter, and fitness goals are the easiest to achieve.
“The start of a new year is an opportunity to take inventory of your life, reset and give yourself a fresh start to work toward what matters most to you; whether that’s something big like going back to school or simply giving yourself daily pep talks about how awesome you already are,” Watson added. “While it’s common to lose momentum on resolutions, the key is making small, consistent changes. And don’t forget to celebrate your progress, because even the desire to make a positive change is a step toward creating lasting habits that help you feel stronger, more energized and ready to tackle whatever lies ahead. You got this!”
MOST ACHIEVABLE NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS
Self-care (spending more time on myself, prioritizing my well-being, etc.) – 46%Organization/home goals (reducing clutter, minimalism, keeping things clean/organized, etc.) – 33%Fitness goals (going to the gym regularly, walking more, etc.) – 33%New experiences (trying new foods, traveling to new places, etc.) – 31%Socializing (spending time with family and friends, getting out of the house more, making new friends, etc.) – 30%Changing my dietary preferences (going vegetarian, vegan, pescatarian, etc.) – 20%Career goals (applying to new jobs, upskilling, etc.) – 20%My love life (going on more dates, dedicating more time to my partner, etc.) – 17%Furthering education (going back to school, getting a degree, etc.) – 13%
Survey methodology:
Talker Research surveyed 2,000 general population Americans; the survey was commissioned by Dave’s Killer Bread and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Nov. 21 and Nov. 25, 2024.
We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:
Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentiveProgrammatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in
Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.
Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.
Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.
Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:
Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speedersOpen ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant textBots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify botsDuplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once
It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.
