What Your Genes Can Tell You About Sticking to Your New Year's Resolutions
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Oh, New Year's resolutions. Whether you want to eat healthier, establish a regular gym routine, or take more time for self-care, it can be difficult to keep your resolutions when motivation wanes and life gets in the way. (If you're still brainstorming 2019 resolutions, consider these 25 easy-to-accomplish resolutions for the New Year.)
That's why popular DNA kit company
looked into who makes resolutions, who sticks with them, and why some people succeed while others fail.
The company surveyed 75,000 customers and found that only 21 percent of their customers made resolutions. Of those who made resolutions, 41 percent said they stuck with them. This is where things get interesting: 24 percent of women reported setting resolutions, compared to 18 percent of men.
But while men were less likely to set resolutions, they were more likely to stick with them—and they became better at meeting their resolutions as they got older. The report found that 51.5 percent of men said they met their goals, while 42.6 percent of women reported meeting theirs. (FYI, there's no reason to wait until January 1. Here: 5 Reasons You Should Start Your New Year's Resolutions Right Now)
While the company wasn't able to explain why you might be more likely to succeed or fail at meeting New Year's resolutions, they plan to continue sending questionnaires out to their customers to gather a larger sample size. And of course, it's also possible that women are harder on themselves when they don't achieve their goals.
In the meantime, if you're a 23andMe customer, you might be able to tap into your results to set better goals. For example, as Shape editors found out, some people are predisposed to have muscle fibers and genes that can be found in elite power athletes (like sprinters), while others may be better suited for endurance events. (Maybe a marathon is in the cards for 2019?!)
No matter your individual goal, it's important to remember that over 80 percent of people who make New Year's resolutions drop them by February—and will completely forget about them by the end of the year. If you're set on being in the 20 percent, it can help to join up with others on a similar mission for support along the way. Shameless plug? We suggest joining our #GoalCrushers Challenge, which includes a 40-day plan to crush any goal, plus a planner to guide you along the way and a Facebook support group. And when you're feeling like giving up, remind yourself how to stick to your resolutions when failure seems imminent.
