At a Glance
- New Year’s resolutions often fail because people chase goals instead of systems.
- Reducing friction-like keeping shoes by the door-makes habits easier to start.
- Incremental progress over 90 days builds lasting habits.
- Why it matters: Knowing how to design low-friction systems can turn resolutions into real change.
All products featured on News Of Austin are independently selected by our editors. The new year brings a wave of resolutions, but most falter. This guide shows how to forget goals, reduce friction, and build habits that stick.
Forget Goals, Build Systems
James Clear’s Atomic Habits argues that the key to lasting change is to focus on systems, not goals. By designing a routine that automatically leads to the desired outcome, you eliminate the need for willpower to start each day.
Reduce Friction
Small tweaks can make a big difference: keep shoes by the door, stock the fridge with healthy food, and pre-pack workout gear. If the path to action is clear, you’re more likely to follow through.
- Keep running shoes next to the front door.
- Store fresh vegetables in the fridge for easy snacking.
- Pre-pack gym clothes the night before.
Choosing low-friction activities, like body-weight exercises, removes the need for equipment or a gym membership.
Incremental Progress & 90-Day Habit
The idea is to add a tiny amount each day-run a minute longer, add a page to reading, or increase plank time. Consistency over 90 days is a proven threshold for habit formation.
- Add 1 minute to your run each day.
- Read 1 extra page every session.
- Hold a plank 5 seconds longer daily.
Reduce Distraction & Strengthen Will
Digital distractions can derail even the best plans. Switching to analog tools-like a paper notebook or an analog watch-cuts out the temptation to scroll.
- Use a paper log for workouts instead of an app.
- Replace the phone stopwatch with a wall clock.
- Set a fixed time for checking emails.
Willpower can be trained like a muscle. Simple, low-stakes tasks-touching a wall spot, walking a block-build resilience for more demanding habits.
Let Go of Old Commitments
David Allen’s Getting Things Done teaches that every open loop consumes mental bandwidth. Declaring what you truly want to pursue frees energy for new habits.
- List all current commitments.
- Decide which ones you genuinely want to keep.
- Close the loops of those you abandon.
Live for the Habit, Not the Reason
Doing something because you love it, rather than because you think you should, makes the habit stick. Identity shifts from “I should exercise” to “I am an exerciser.”
- Identify habits you enjoy.
- Align daily actions with that identity.
- Celebrate small wins to reinforce the new self.
Key Takeaways
- Forget goals; design systems that automatically produce results.
- Reduce friction by preparing the environment for action.
- Build habits incrementally over 90 days to solidify the new behavior.
Start turning your resolutions into lasting habits today, and watch the change unfold over time.
