Sizzling or Fizzling in 2026?

Happy New Year!

Ever wonder where the tradition of celebrating New Year’s came from? Historians believe that it goes back 4000 years to Babylonian times but Julius Caesar is credited with moving the day from the Vernal Equinox (that’s in March) to January 1st in honor of the mythological Roman god, Janus. Janus was depicted as having two heads facing in opposite directions; one looking forward to the future and one looking in the past. While Western societies use the Gregorian calendar, many cultures use the movement of the moon or position of the Sun to celebrate the New Year, so celebrations across the globe occur at different times of the year. 

Whether it is by the turn of a calendar page (or a moon!), the common thread between these different cultures is that in honor of a new year, we change something in our lives that isn’t going so well, or going the way we want it to go. Upon the arrival of a new year, we seem to reflect on the past and seek out changes that the new year can bring. 

We all have good intentions of upholding desired changes, but the vigor seems to wane like a sizzling NY’s Eve sparkler, and our old habits rear their heads and we are back to our old ways by February. Working on short-term goals is a better way to approach this season of celebration, so success can and will follow you throughout the year. 

Behavioralists look at two kinds of goals: process goals and outcome goals. Setting up process goals leads to better success in meeting your outcome goals, which are usually regarded as long-term goals. Let’s look at the differences between the two.

Process Goals measure specific activities. They are kind of action super heroes, if you want. They are set up first. Examples include:

• Walking 30 minutes a day, 3x/week

• Taking the stairs at work, exclusively 

• Using 1% milk instead of 2% 

• Parking further away from the entrance of a store front

Outcome Goals measure the end result—or your achievement. It doesn’t measure how you got there. Examples include:

• Losing 10 pounds in 10 weeks

• Dropping one pant or dress size

• Having an A1C level of X  the next time the doctor checks it

One of the most important things when designing a strategy to make changes is to 

make sure that your goals are realistic and within your capabilities. While goals challenge you, they shouldn’t be so difficult that you give up on them in a few weeks. Don’t let that sparkler fizzle out!

A series of small process goals can eventually lead to the success of meeting one long-term goal. Achieving small, short-term goals will keep you motivated to keep going. Reevaluate your goals every now and change your goals, as needed. 

Remember that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Small changes do add up!

Happy New Year!

Sophie