Are New Year’s resolutions a sure way to send you into a depressive phase by the end of January? In general, New Year’s resolutions are a prime example of how bad we are at sticking to promises made to ourselves.

Why is it that it is so hard to stick to resolutions and reach personal goals?

For one I believe many resolutions or goals aren’t realistic. Even if they are realistic, simply setting a goal isn’t enough. You must split up the path to reaching your goal into many small steps; you must identify the possible pitfalls that could lead to failure and you must prepare for them, at least roughly; finally, you must take into account that things will change with time, hence your path or your goal may change and you must be willing to adapt in time.