2014 New Year's Resolutions - How They Are Achieved

New Year’s Resolutions: How They

Are AchievedNovember 2013

2

Sample Size of 1,039 respondents.◦ U.S. respondents◦ Aged 18 to 60◦ Nationally representative demographics

Statistically significant, with sampling error at the 95% confidence rate.

The FranklinPlanner.com team recently conducted a survey to learn how consumers achieve their New Year’s Resolutions.

Source: FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey

3

Of the 1,000 people questioned, more than half set a resolution for 2013.

55%

45%

Question: Did you set resolutions or personal goals for yourself for 2013?

Yes

No


4

Physical Fitness/Weight loss continues to be a top resolution.

How long did you pursue your 2013 New Year’s Resolutions?

Become more phys-ically fit or lose weight

Improve my health

Improve work

habits/ca-reer situ-

ation

Improve my financial condition

Become more ed-ucated

Read more Travel more Other (please specify)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%36%

18%

12% 12%

8%

3% 2%

10%

Question: Which of the following best describes your primary 2013 New Year’s Resolution?


5

For those who made a Physical Fitness/Weight loss a top goal, workout and eating plans were key.

Created a workout plan

Created an eating plan

Used an on-line/software app calorie

counter, e.g. MyFitnessPal

Shared my goal with friends

Kept a journal Met with others to

share progress

and/or chal-lenges

Other (please specify)

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%67%

51%

34% 33%

22%12% 10%

Question: Which of the following helped you as you pursued your Physical Fitness/Weight Loss Resolution?

Check all that apply.


6


Met with others to share progress and/or challenges

Kept a journal


Used an online/software app calorie counter, e.g. MyFitnessPal

Created an eating plan

Created a workout plan

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

10%

5%

6%

10%

18%

22%

29%

Question: Which was the most helpful? Check only one.

Creating a workout plan was the most helpful strategy to achieving the Fitness/Weight Loss goal.


7

Created an eating/diet

plan

Met with your doctor or

other medi-cal specialist

Started tak-ing health

supplements

Stopped cer-tain behav-

iors, e.g. smoking


Met with others to

share progress

and/or chal-lenges


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%52%

41%

27% 26% 24%

15%

2%

Question: Which of the following helped you as you pursued your Health Improvement Resolu-

tion? Check all that apply.

For those pursing Improved Health, an eating plan and specialist assistance were most often mentioned as strategies.


8

Exercise and eating plans were most frequently mentioned as the most helpful strategy.


Started taking health supplements



Met with your doctor or other medical specialist

Stopped certain behaviors, e.g. smoking

Created an eating/diet plan

Created an exercise plan

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

2%

3%

5%

6%

16%

18%

24%

27%



9

Consumers used numerous strategies to their Work/Career situation.

Created a plan that included specific activities and time-

lines

Updated my resume

Read books Went on job interviews

Called contacts

to network

Signed up or increased activity on LinkedIn

Met with man-

agement, depart-ment

heads, and/or HR

Took a train-ing course that ad-dressed specific employ-

ment skills

Held network-

ing meetings

Took a time manage-

ment course


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60% 56%

46%

35%32%

27% 25% 24% 22%

6% 6%

14%

Question: Which of the following helped you as you pursued your Work/Career Improvement Resolution?



10

Creating a plan was mentioned the most frequently as the most helpful strategy.


Took a time management course

Called contacts to network

Held networking meetings

Signed up or increased activity on LinkedIn

Updated my resume

Took a training course that addressed specific employment skills

Read books

Met with management, department heads, and/or HR

Went on job interviews

Created a plan that included specific activities and timelines

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

6%

2%

3%

5%

6%

6%

8%

8%

10%

16%

30%



11

For those pursing Improved Finances, creating a time-based plan was most often part of the plan.

Created a plan with weekly/monthly/quarterly goals

Kept a journal of spending


Tracked my spend-ing on an online/

software app

Met with a financial advisor

Met with others to share progress

and/or challenges

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%55%

38%

20% 19%

13% 11%

Question: Which of the following helped you as you pursued your Improved Financial Condition Resolu-

tion? Check all that apply.


12

The time-based plan was mentioned most frequently as the most helpful strategy.


Met with a financial advisor



Tracked my spending on an online/software app

Kept a journal of spending

Created a plan with weekly/monthly/quarterly goals

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

13%

6%

6%

8%

11%

22%

34%



13

For those who made Education a top goal, taking classes and reading more were most often mentioned as strategies.

Took one or more

classes in a classroom

Took one or more

classes on-line

Read more books than previous

years

Attended one or

more lec-tures

Joined a discussion

group other than a book

club

Interviewed a specialist or practi-

tioner on a topic of in-

terest

Joined a book club


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%52%

41% 41%39%

16%14%

7%

16%

Question: Which of the following helped you as you pursued your Improved Education Resolution?



14

Taking a class was most often mentioned as the most helpful strategy.


Joined a book club

Joined a discussion group other than a book club

Attended one or more lectures

Read more books than previous years

Took one or more classes online

Took one or more classes in a classroom

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

2%

0%

5%

7%

9%

30%

48%



15

For those who made a resolution of Reading more, digital resources were a common element of the plan.

Visited online bookstores for

ideas, e.g. Amazon

Started down-loading more digital books

Started shopping at bookstores more fre-quently

Started visit-ing the local library more frequently

Joined a book club that meets in

person or on-line

Signed up on an online site that recom-

mends books, e.g.

Goodreads


0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50% 47%

33%

27% 27%

20% 20% 20%

Question: Which of the following helped you as you pursued your

Increased Reading Resolution? Check all that apply.


16

Bookstore visited were most frequently mentioned as the most helpful strategy.


Started visiting the local library more frequently

Joined a book club that meets in person or online

Started downloading more digital books

Signed up on an online site that recommends books, e.g. Goodreads

Visited online bookstores for ideas, e.g. Amazon

Started shopping at bookstores more frequently

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

20%

0%

7%

7%

13%

27%

27%



17

For those who resolved to Increase Travel, a travel plan, online research, and conversations were common action steps.

Created a plan with

specific ac-tivities and timelines

Did online research

about loca-tions

Talked with family, friends

and/or col-leagues about

places to visit

Read travel magazines

Talked to people who lived in po-

tential travel des-tinations

Read travel books

Watched travel tele-

vision shows


0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

67% 67% 67%

44% 44%

22% 22%

11%

Question: Which of the following helped you as you pursued your Increased Travel Resolution?



18

Online research was most frequently mentioned as the most helpful strategy toward Increased Travel.

Read travel magazines, books

Talked with family, friends and/or colleagues about places to visit

Talked to people who lived in potential travel destinations

Did online research about locations

0% 5% 10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

0%

22%

22%

44%



19

The majority of 2013 resolutions makers are still working on their goals, particularly those seeking to become More Educated and Healthier.

75%

25%

Yes NoBecome more ed-ucated

Improve my health


Improve work

habits/ca-reer situa-

tion

Become more phys-ically fit or lose weight

Travel more Read more0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

82% 80% 80% 76%71% 67%

53%

18% 20% 20% 24%29% 33%

47%

Question: Are you still working on your 2013 New Year’s Resolutions?


20

Slightly over half gave up on their 2013 Resolution, particularly those pursing Physical Fitness/Weight Loss and Health Improvements.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%54%

27%

12%7%

Become more physically fit or lose weight

Improve my health


Read more

Become more educated

Improve work habits/career situation

Travel more

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

76%

60%

54%

43%

22%

5%

10%

8%

29%

11%

33%

8%

5%

15%

7%

10%

25%

23%

29%

67%

60%

100%

Gave up The goal was no longer relevant

Other (please specify) Achieved the goal

Question: Why did you stop? Choose only one answer.


21

Roughly the same number of consumers who made 2013 Resolutions are planning on making 2014 Resolutions.

54%20%

26%

Question: Are you go-ing to set resolutions or personal goals for

2014?

YesNoDon't know at this time.

55%

45%

Question: Did you set resolutions or personal goals for yourself for

2013?

Yes No


22

Physical Fitness and Improved Finances top the list for 2014 Resolutions.

Quit/reduce smoking cigarettes

Reduce TV watching

Quit/cut down caffeine, sweets use

Take up a new hobby e.g. learn to paint/ski/play a musical instrument

Change career or job

Do (more) volunteer work

Improve relationships with others (friends, neighbors, co-workers)

Become more educated (take courses)

Travel more

Improve relationships with family members (children, siblings, parent)

Change overall attitude: be more “positive”

Read more

Improve work habits/career situation

Lose weight

Improve health (e.g. better diet, less junk food, more nutritional food)

Improve financial situation (e.g. save money, eliminate debt)

Improve physical fitness (e.g. exercise more)

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

8%

8%

14%

17%

18%

19%

20%

21%

23%

23%

23%

26%

26%

47%

48%

52%

60%

Question: Which of the goals are likely 2014 Reso-lutions?


23

2014 Goal setters are motivated by the sense of direction and focus.

Others around me have encouraged me to set

them

Only way I can get things accomplished

To set a good example for my children (to teach them to set

goals)

Have always been a goal “set-ter”

Gives me a “sense” of achievement

Makes me feel good about myself

Keeps me focused

Gives me a sense of direction

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

7%

12%

15%

24%

35%

37%

46%

49%

Question: Please check all the reasons that you are going to set 2014

Resolutions.

54%20%

26%

Question: Are you going to set reso-lutions or personal

goals for 2014?



24

Those not planning on setting Resolutions didn’t feel the specific goal was necessary.

I’ve achieved my primary goals and don’t need to set more

I’m too busy

I just never get around to it

I don’t like to formally set goals be-cause I know that I would feel bad if I

didn’t achieve them

I’ve set them in the past and didn’t achieve them so I don’t anymore

I’m content with my life as is

I’m not a goal setting person

I don’t think it makes you any more likely to achieve things

I know what I need to do; setting goals for myself is not necessary

0% 10%20%30%40%50%

3%

3%

10%

11%

13%

17%

25%

38%

46%

Question: Please share why you are not pursuing 2014

Resolutions. Check all that apply.

54%20%

26%

Question: Are you going to set reso-lutions or personal

goals for 2014?



25

48%53%

Gender

Male Female

Sample Demographics:

29%

33%

38%

1%Age

< 18 18-29 30-44 45-60 > 60

23%

15%32%

17%

14%Household Income

$0 - $24,999$25,000 - $49,999$50,000 - $99,999$100,000 - $149,999$150,000+

Location (Census Region)

New EnglandMiddle AtlanticEast North CentralWest North CentralSouth AtlanticEast South Central

2% 10%

29%

36%

23%

Education

Less than high school degreeHigh school degreeSome collegeAssociate or bachelor degreeGraduate degree


Business

2014 New Year's Resolutions - How They Are Achieved