New Year’s resolutions, we make ‘em and we break ‘em. That’s the sort of fact that everyone knows, and yet every year we revel in the idea of creating our own personalized list of resolutions. We feel giddy as we think about how much this year is going to be totally better than last year, and we’ll be our healthiest, well-rested, on-time selves. We feel kinship as we ask our friends what their resolutions are, and become overwhelmed with appreciation and admiration when they think of a resolution so great you hadn’t even thought of it. And then, January 10 rolls around, and even though you resolved to eat more vegetables this year, you realize you’ve eaten pizza for two days straight (although, to be fair, it did have mushrooms on it). You vowed to go to the gym, and yet you’ve only been twice since New Year’s Eve. And those Yoga classes you signed up for? You would rather Nama-stay in bed than downward dog on a Yoga mat.

It happens. In fact, there is a large amount of research and statistics to prove that Americans are startlingly bad at keeping resolutions. According to a study done by the University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology in January of 2014, only 8% of people are successful in achieving their resolutions. Here are the other results from their research (To see more from the study, go to www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics):

News Year’s Resolution Statistics

Percent of Americans who usually make New Year’s Resolutions: 45%

Percent of Americans who infrequently make New Year’s Resolutions: 17%

Percent of Americans who absolutely never make New Year’s Resolutions: 38%

Percent of people who are successful in achieving their resolution: 8%

Percent who have infrequent success: 49%

Percent who never succeed and fail on their resolution each year: 24%

Top 10 New Year’s resolutions for 2014

Lose weight

Getting organized

Spend less, save more

Enjoy life to the fullest

Staying fit and healthy

Learn something exciting

Quit smoking

Help others achieve their dreams

Fall in love

Spend more time with family

Length of Resolutions

Resolution maintained through first week: 75%

Past two weeks: 71%

Past one month: 64%

Past six months: 46%

How about we all resolve to break our New Year’s resolutions? Or resolve to eat more junk food and watch more Netflix? I think I would have a pretty high success rate at that. I didn’t make any resolutions this year (I think I still might do it), but I wondered if I had made good on my resolutions from last year. Luckily, I had my list conveniently saved on my computer and I pulled it up. I made the usual sort of generic resolutions, but added in a more personalized and specific approach. I was surprised to find that I had actually somewhat accomplished my resolutions, mostly because they also happen to be my “life goals.”

The concept of making resolutions is, of course, too tempting not to make them. Self improvement is probably always a good idea. So, make resolutions, or don’t, fail at them or succeed—either way, have a great new year.