Mid-Year, Same Me: Have Our New Year's Resolutions Survived 2025?

Key takeaways:

• Headway's goal-setting research reveals that 74% of people set a New Year's resolution for 2025, with 33% still going strong and 56% having made some progress.

• However, 60% of people feel embarrassed by the amount of progress they have made so far, with 61% worried they are running out of time to turn their year around.

• Yet, with life presenting many challenges, 1 in 4 people believe that simply staying afloat in 2025 is an achievement in itself.

• And with next year right around the corner, 56% of people are ready to go again, setting a new resolution to focus on in 2026.

Every January, we tell ourselves that this is the year we get fit, get rich, and finally get our lives together. We create a checklist of all the top personal growth goals and vow to tick every box by the end of the year. 

But while goal-setting comes easily, achieving them often proves difficult.

Headway book summary app surveyed 2,000 people on their 2025 New Year's resolutions, whether they've stuck to them, where they've stumbled, and whether they're planning to give it another go in 2026.

The results show that while New Year's resolution success rates might fall short of our January optimism, our motivation for self-improvement hasn't faded. 

Gym, goals, and growth: How many people keep New Year's resolutions?

More than half (51%) of us started the year with big plans and ambitious targets. We invested in workout gear, set limits on our screen time, and committed to a new course.

But setting goals is the easy part. The question is, how many people keep New Year's resolutions beyond January?

Some 11% of people have already given in. Why do people fail New Year's resolutions? Because they aim too high, don't plan enough, or set goals based on obligation rather than desire.

However, not everyone has ditched their gym bags and deleted language learning apps. Some 33% are still going strong, while most people are somewhere in the middle… and while their past selves may be disappointed with the results, some progress is far better than none.

The most common New Year's resolutions that people actually stick to? Taking better care of our body and mind. From cutting back on doomscrolling (23%) to taking vitamins (38%), and exercising regularly (52%), 2025 is proving to be the year of healthy habit-building.

We may be getting swole and taking more steps, but health and fitness — a common New Year's resolution — (33%) isn't leading the progress race.

Healthy habits don't just strengthen the body — they foster positivity, increase motivation, and build confidence, with self-growth (37%) the area where we feel we've taken the biggest strides.

New year, ne…ver mind: What happens when resolutions don't work out?

Some resolutions might not stick, but the shame and guilt of giving up sure do. Some 60% of people admit to feeling embarrassed by the lack of personal progress they've made this year.

You tell yourself, "I can start tomorrow," and before you know it, it's July and you're no closer to achieving your goal. With the clock ticking, 61% of people are feeling the pressure to turn their year around, with 12% officially in panic mode.

With the festive season right around the corner, 44% of people are ready to write off 2025 and set their sights on 2026. This year's resolutions might not have panned out, but next year might be better.

Reels and resolutions: Does social media help or harm our growth?

Social media is essentially a highlight reel of chiseled abs and flaunted wealth — and while we all know these feeds show all of the good and none of the bad, 63% admit to sizing up their achievements against their friends online, using others' success as motivation.

Yet, while comparing ourselves against others can spark motivation, it's not all sunshine and success stories.

Some 16% admit that seeing others succeed stirs up jealousy — highlighting what we don't have, rather than what we really want.

When jealousy creeps in, self-doubt isn't far behind, and motivation takes a nosedive. But it's worth reminding yourself that social media is far from reality.

We all have wants, doubts, and struggles — with 34% of those who post online about their achievements admitting to feeling stuck behind the scenes.

New Year's resolution resilience: Surviving 2025 is the real success story

It's great to be healthy and wealthy, and knowledge is power — but maybe we're a little too hard on ourselves. The cost of living, the burnout epidemic, the threat of war, AI fears…

With 61% of people having experienced a meltdown in 2025, there's clearly already too much on our plates.

Life's tough, so forget glow-ups and grand goals. Simply getting through the year while staying afloat is enough of an achievement, according to 27% of people.

Goal hard or go home: Are we ready to quit our 2025 resolutions?

This year might not have gone entirely to plan, and, for many, progress has been slower than hoped, but it's not over yet.

Some 89% of people remain determined to reach the finish line, with 40% pushing on with their January resolutions and 49% hitting refresh before giving it another go.

Forget about New Year's resolutions. It's all about mid-year motivation. As the days pass by and the deadline gets closer, 40% admit they're more motivated now than they were in January.

Unfinished business: Are we ready to go again in 2026?

Are New Year's resolutions easy? Not even close. But are they worth it? Absolutely. Even if some goals remain uncompleted and some changes don't stick, 81% of people agree that setting a resolution is at least somewhat worth it.

Because, in the end, it's not about achieving everything — It's about trying, learning, and improving.

So whether you crushed your 2025 resolutions or barely made it past January, one thing's clear: we're not giving up. Some 93% of people say they're at least somewhat likely to set a goal in 2026.

From gym gear to giving up, screen time limits to self-doubt, some have thrived, others have survived, and some are just getting started. The good news? There's always next year.

About the Headway app

With over 50 million users in 170+ countries, the Headway app is the world's most downloaded book summary app. It offers 15-minute audio and text summaries of nonfiction bestsellers, as well as daily microlearning sessions and gamified challenges. 

The app is designed to help people achieve their self-development goals. Headway received the Editor's Choice award from the US App Store and constantly hits the App Store home screen as App of the Day.