More than 100 million Americans make New Year’s resolutions each year—yet historically, only 9% follow through.
LOS ANGELES, CALIF. - As the calendar turns to 2026, millions of people around the world embrace the tradition of New Year’s resolutions—promising to be healthier, more productive and more fulfilled. But despite good intentions, why do the vast majority of these commitments never make it past January or February?
According to a Pew Research Center survey, three in ten Americans—more than 100 million people—make New Year’s resolutions. Young adults lead the way with nearly half of those aged 18 to 29 setting goals for the new year. Despite that enthusiasm, the same research shows that only 9% of Americans ultimately keep their resolutions.
The failure rate is so familiar it has earned its own unofficial milestones. The second Friday of January is widely known as “Quitters Day,” while some have dubbed January 17, “Ditch New Year’s Resolutions Day.”
Why do so many well-intentioned goals fall apart? Experts often cite vague objectives, lack of planning or fading motivation as common culprits. But beneath these surface explanations lies a deeper factor: the reactive mind. It’s a part of the mind that stores past trauma and fuels stress, anxiety, irrational behavior, self-doubt and emotional triggers that unconsciously sabotage progress.
“People genuinely want to change,” says Dianetics specialist and spokesperson Alyssa Burke. “But the reactive mind exerts irrational impulses that subconsciously counteract the positive decisions. It holds the old patterns in place and undermines an individual’s willpower. That’s why it’s crucial to get to the root cause.”
That root cause is explained in the book Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health by L. Ron Hubbard. Dianetics offers a practical approach to remove the negative charge that gets in the way of resolutions, giving individuals a greater chance of fulfilling their goals and living with freedom of choice. Rather than relying on motivation alone, Dianetics focuses on resolving the underlying impediments to lasting change.
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“As we enter 2026, many are embracing new trends in goal setting, such as social media wellness challenges,” Burke adds. “People are craving more effective ways to transform and Dianetics can empower them by tackling the invisible obstacles that make resolutions so hard to sustain.”
For those ready to move beyond temporary resolutions and create meaningful, lasting change, Dianetics offers a practical methodology that addresses the root cause of self-inhibiting patterns and for many, has been the glue to make New Year’s resolutions stick.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary, Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health has helped millions identify and overcome the root causes that limit personal growth.
Bridge Publications, based in Los Angeles, publishes the nonfiction works of L. Ron Hubbard. Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental Health is the all-time bestselling book on the human mind. For more information, visit www.dianetics.org.
Media Contact:
Company Name: Bridge Publications
Contact Person: Jesse Weber
Email: jweber@bridgepub.com
Phone: (323) 888-6200
City: Los Angeles California
Country: United States
Website: https://www.dianetics.org
Media Contact
Company Name: Bridge Publications
Contact Person: Jesse Weber
Email: Send Email
Phone: (323) 888-6200
Address: 5600 E Olympic Blvd
City: Los Angeles
State: California
Country: United States
Website: www.dianetics.org
