Happy New Year! 🥂 Using its proprietary Agora USA consumer insights community, Accelerant Research polled over 500 Americans about their 2026 New Year's resolutions. Check out our findings below!

Most Americans Are Still Making Resolutions

About 3 in 5 Americans say they’re making New Year’s resolutions in 2026—a figure that has remained remarkably stable year over year. Despite shifting cultural conversations around self-improvement and burnout, the tradition of setting goals appears resilient.

The most common resolutions also remain unchanged. Health and wellness dominate once again, with exercise, healthier eating, and weight loss leading the list. Financial success and maintaining a positive outlook round out the top goals, reinforcing that resolutions tend to focus on long-term self-optimization rather than short-term change.

Confidence Meets Reality

Among those setting resolutions, confidence is high. Nearly 80% say they plan to stick with their goals this year—an optimism that mirrors what we’ve seen in past surveys.

But when respondents reflect on prior years, a different story emerges. Historically, fewer than half report actually following through on their resolutions. The result is a consistent and measurable intention–action gap: people begin the year motivated, yet struggle to sustain change over time.

This pattern isn’t about a lack of effort or awareness. Behavioral research shows that motivation peaks during moments of transition, while long-term follow-through depends on structure, reinforcement, and habit formation—factors that are often missing once January momentum fades.

Why the Gap Matters

For brands, researchers, and product teams, this insight is critical. Consumers aren’t lacking motivation—they’re struggling with follow-through. Experiences, tools, and interventions that acknowledge this reality can better support long-term behavior change, rather than relying on short-lived enthusiasm.

As 2026 begins, the takeaway is clear: New Year’s resolutions aren’t failing because people don’t care. They fail because intention alone isn’t enough.