The Day Most New Year’s Resolutions Fail—Here’s How to Beat It

Gday Legend!

Back in NYC and the first workday of the year is here! Along with the fired up notion of tackling the year it also brings about distractions and the temptation to drop our personal goals or resolutions. (Not sure if you knew there is thing called quitters day- January 10th this year, I personally found out about it last week, hence this newsletter). But I am personally keen to boycott the day and have everyone show up to Monday the 13th still on track and crushing their goals. What did help me in this fired up moment was reading a passage from one of my favorite books River of Doubt about Teddy Rosevelt, this bloke was not born strong.. he had to earn it. More on this legend In a second

In Today’s Newsletter (4-Min Read):

• 🙄 The #1 Mistake We Make with Resolutions (& What T, Roosevelt Did Differently)

• 🤙 Your Ultimate Guide to Crushing Goals and Avoiding Quitters' Day

• 📝 How i am applying this to myself as an example for you

Know someone who struggles to maintain their NY resolution? Let me help you help them! Share this newsletter HERE

The #1 Mistake We Make with Resolutions (& What T, Roosevelt Did Differently)

As a child, Teddy Roosevelt struggled with poor health and even breathing at night. Encouraged by his father to embrace physical activity, he took up rowing, boxing, horseback riding, and hiking. While physical fitness helped him live a fuller life, Teddy stuck with it because he was motivated for himself—it wasn’t about aesthetics but the freedom to live and breathe fully.

Even as president, Roosevelt prioritized two hours of exercise daily, proving that thriving wasn’t optional for him; it was essential. Teddy succeeded because his motivation came from within, while most of us go wrong by chasing extrinsic goals—likes, aesthetics, or others' expectations.

Instead, ask yourself: What is something you truly want for yourself? Make it intrinsically motivating, like my personal goal of becoming fluent in Italian—not for anyone else, but for me.

💪Your Ultimate Guide to Crushing Goals and Avoiding Quitters' Day

Running in Italy feels like a dream compared to NYC. Last weekend, fresh off the plane, I tackled my first tempo run of the year with a mate. We faced uncontrollable winds, subtle inclines, and challenging hills—reminders of why NYC is such a tough place to train in the winter. Quitting would’ve been easy, but pushing through earned us serious grit currency—effort that will pay off on race day. By doing the hard sh!t now, we’ll thrive when conditions are easier.

Remember: benefits are earned in the struggle, not the shortcut. When others stop, you’ll keep going. Quitters’ Day isn’t an excuse—it’s not even a real day unless you make it one. If you feel like quitting, it’s time to reflect. Either (1) you didn’t truly want that goal, or (2) distractions and responsibilities are making it tough to stay on track.

1. Pick Intrinsic Goals

Choose something that genuinely motivates you. Avoid chasing clout, likes, or others’ expectations. When your goal aligns with your values, you’ll naturally stick with it.

2. Focus on Actionable Habits

Big resolutions are great, but they need to translate into consistent actions. Want to improve your cooking? Commit to making one meal per week. Actions build habits, habits create routines, and routines lead to lasting change.

3. Put Yourself First

When life gets tough, pause and ask: “Can I still put myself first?” If adjustments are needed, plan how to make up for it. Stick to the golden rule: never miss two days in a row. Like the metaphor of putting on your oxygen mask before helping others, this principle is key to consistency.

4. Be Your Own Accountability Partner

This is your journey, so track your progress. Sometimes, when we’re in the thick of it, we forget to appreciate how far we’ve come. Progress is motivating. If your goal is a faster running time, track your training splits. If you want to juggle for 60 seconds, log your weekly practice times. (A friend of mine is doing this—it’s pretty cool!)

My Example: Learning Italian

Here’s how I’m applying these principles to my resolution to learn Italian:

• Intrinsic Goal: I want to speak Italian for me, not anyone else.

• Actionable Habit: One class per week for a month, then progressing to two.

• Consistency: If I miss one class, I’ll make it up the next week—but I won’t miss two in a row.

• Tracking Progress: I jot down phrases, review them every two weeks, and share updates with family

Quitting isn’t an option when your goals truly matter to you. Keep showing up, keep tracking progress, and keep building that grit currency—you’ll thank yourself later.

Quick Notes

📖 Pop quiz is back next week! Which means prize time!

🛌 While overseas, I developed a new habit that improved my WHOOP recovery: switching from informative books to fiction before bed. Informative reading overstimulated me, but fiction helped me relax, significantly boosting my REM sleep. I'll keep you posted on the results! Follow your recovery like me by signing up HERE

🏃🏻‍♂️ Our hybrid strong program is crushing it on Centr… big fan of it for the base training i am doing CLICK HERE to sign up!

DC

#EatGoodFeelGood