At a Glance
- Dr. Sofia Beas reveals simple strategies for turning big yearly goals into manageable habits.
- She compares habit building to lifting weights, starting small and scaling up.
- Her advice challenges the myth that new habits require drastic change or exactly 27 days.
Why it matters: The guidance helps readers keep New Year resolutions by breaking them into achievable steps.
Just days before 2026, many people set New Year goals, but sticking to them can be tough. Dr. Sofia Beas, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, offers a science-based approach that turns big ambitions into small, doable actions.
Start Small, Scale Up
Dr. Beas explains that a big goal demands a lot of effort, but breaking it into little goals eases the load. She uses the analogy of lifting weights: you don’t start with a thousand pounds; you begin with ten and gradually increase.
Dr. Sofia Beas said:
> “A big goal is going to require a lot of effort. But if it’s like little goals, then you know, that requires less effort, then you can have more,”
Dr. Sofia Beas added:
> “The brain’s actually very like a muscle. So, let’s say that you want to start lifting a thousand pounds; you don’t start by just lifting them. Like, you really have to start by lifting ten and then work your way out until you reach that thousand pounds,”
- Start with tiny, manageable actions.
- Gradually add complexity as confidence grows.
- Treat habits like progressive training.
Habit Cues and the 27-Day Myth
She stresses the importance of cues and environment, suggesting that existing habits can trigger new ones. For example, walking the dog in the morning can cue a walk for the dog itself.
Dr. Sofia Beas said:
> “Use already established habits as cues,”
She also challenged the 27-day rule, noting it is relative and varies by person.
Dr. Sofia Beas said:
> “I think the ’27 days’ is kind of relative and it’s also more individualized. So some people will take a little bit less and some people will take a little bit longer,”
> “I think it’s kind of like a good rule of thumb, you know? But I think I would be cautious for people to use it as a set rule, because then if you don’t have it down by 27 days, then … some people would get discouraged.”
- Habit cues can be built on existing routines.
- The 27-day figure is a guideline, not a hard deadline.
- Personalizing habit timelines reduces discouragement.
Key Takeaways
- Break big yearly goals into small, incremental steps.
- Use existing habits as cues to start new ones.
- Treat the 27-day rule as a flexible guideline, not a fixed deadline.
Sticking to New Year resolutions is easier when you treat them like a weight-lifting program-start light, build gradually, and use your daily routines as stepping stones.
