Every January, we see the same pattern where most people set out ambitious resolutions for themselves. Yet at the same time, most New Year’s resolutions collapse within weeks. This is not because people are undisciplined but rather because motivation and habit formation follow different rules in the brain. 

Why January Feels Like a Clean Slate 

The fresh start effect refers to the boost in motivation people feel after temporal landmarks such as New Year’s Day or the start of a semester. These moments create a psychological separation between a past and current self. 

This works because identity is not fixed. The medial prefrontal cortex, which is involved in self-related thinking, treats the past self as slightly different/distant from the present one. When a new year begins, the brain creates distance from past failures, reducing guilt and self-blame. That emotional relief temporarily increases motivation and optimism (Dai et al., 2014). 

Not to mention, anticipating change activates reward (dopamine) pathways even without any change in behaviour. This is why planning resolutions often feels better than carrying them out. 

Why That Motivation Fades So Quickly 

The problem is that dopamine surges are very temporary. Motivation peaks early and then drops once novelty disappears. Meanwhile, habits are controlled largely by the basal ganglia, a brain system that prioritizes efficiency and repetition over intention. 

When you try to modify a behaviour, your brain has to work against itself in a way. Old habits are fast and automatic in terms of brain processing, whereas new behaviors are slow and effortful, and particularly susceptible to stress (Wood & Rünger, 2016). Once the initial dopamine surge fades, the brain defaults back to what requires the least brain power. 

This is why resolutions that rely on motivation alone rarely survive past January. The brain does not sustain change through willpower. It sustains change through repetition and reduced effort. 

The Brain’s Discomfort with Abrupt Change 

After the holidays, many people are depleted emotionally, financially, or physically, which adds stress. The brain interprets this as threat rather than growth. Stress hormones like cortisol interfere with prefrontal control, making consistency harder exactly when people expect themselves to be at their best (McEwen, 2007). 

In other words, January is often biologically a recovery period, not an optimization window. 

Why Small Systems Beat Big Goals 

Lasting change happens when behaviour becomes easier than not changing. Over time, repeated behaviors become habits, requiring less conscious effort. 

The fresh start effect is still useful, but only as an entry point. It can help people reflect, gain a motivational boost and thus choose 1 or 2 realistic changes to focus on. After this, building habits by tackling these smaller goals will more likely lead to success. 

A Better Way to Think About the New Year 

The brain does not reset on January first. It carries patterns, memories, and habits forward. Change does not require a new identity. It requires conditions that allow the brain to practice something new repeatedly. 

When goals are reframed as gradual behavioral shifts rather than personal reinvention, the brain is more likely to cooperate. 

The fresh start effect is real. The mistake is treating it as the solution instead of the spark. 

References 

Dai, H., Milkman, K. L., & Riis, J. (2014). The fresh start effect: Temporal landmarks motivate aspirational behavior. Management Science, 60(10), 2563–2582. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2014.1901

McEwen, B. S. (2007). Physiology and neurobiology of stress and adaptation: Central role of the brain.

Physiological Reviews, 87(3), 873–904. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00041.2006

Wood, W., & Rünger, D. (2016). Psychology of habit. Annual Review of Psychology, 67, 289–314. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-122414-033417