The Real Reason Resolutions Fizzle and How to Change It

Everybody loves a new year. It's a bright, shiny, fresh, clean slate. A vista unblemished by mistakes or regrets. A brand-new chance to make those changes and accomplish those things we've been meaning to do forever. Yet, undermining all this glorious potential is the hidden truth we're aware of even as we proclaim that this time we'll really lose 20 pounds or get out of debt or finally launch that long-dreamed-of business: New Year's resolutions are nothing more than fairy tales we grown-ups tell ourselves.

That's right. If you're like 92 percent of Americans, you're not going to keep those resolutions. What's more, you know it. What you may not know, says Brian Moran, is why.

"The number one enemy of most New Year's resolutions isn't feasibility, a lack of know-how, or even a lack of motivation, though those things can come into play," says Moran, coauthor along with Michael Lennington of the New York Times best seller, The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks Than Others Do in 12 Months. "The No. 1 enemy of most resolutions is time."

Think about it: It's all too easy to procrastinate through January, February, March and even longer. No problem, you think. I have over half a year left to do what I said I'd do. Even when July and August roll around, there are still enough months left in the year that you don't feel a real sense of urgency. Next thing you know, the holidays are almost upon you. You're still over your ideal weight, drinking too many sodas a day, working the same job, with less savings than you'd like. Too late to do anything now, you figure. I'll try again next year.

Ultimately, says Moran, effective execution happens daily and weekly and on a consistent basis. To perform at your best, you will need to get out of "annual mode" and stop thinking in terms of a 365 day year. That's where the 12 Week Year comes in. It's a system that works for businesses striving to meet their goals—and it will work for you, too.

Moran offers eight ways to get yourself out of the annualized thinking trap—and into the much-more-productive 12 Week Year, where resolutions do come true.