How is 2025 treating your New Year resolutions?

By Trevor Ncube

How is 2025 treating your New Year resolutions so far? Crushing it? Or are you among the silent majority watching their commitments crumble? If global statistics are anything to go by, somewhere between 63% and 71% have already abandoned their resolutions.

Why? The usual culprits: lack of motivation, lack of time, and setting goals that were doomed from the start. The real cost of broken resolutions is not just disappointment—it is stagnation, a life stuck in the loop of mediocrity.

One of life’s best lessons? Never hitch my wagon to the “New Year, New Me” frenzy. Instead, I have honed the discipline of working steadily toward lifetime goals, guided by a clear personal mission statement. If experience—and research—have taught me anything, it is that the euphoria of a new year fizzles when life punches back.

Here is the truth: transformation is not magic. A “New Me” does not happen overnight—unless you have been working at it for years.

Another reason resolutions fail so often is that they are built on shaky motives. Too little thought goes into what truly matters, what should make the list. And when motives are flimsy, resolutions collapse.

I believe we were all created for a purpose. That purpose—not fleeting resolutions—should shape our goals. Living your purpose is not about annual tweaks; it is deep, personal, and often gruelling work. It is heavy lifting before it is fun.

Finding purpose begins with knowing yourself. And knowing yourself requires the courage to sit with the most important person in your life—you. Ask yourself, what am I passionate about? What do I stand for? What are my convictions? What are my redlines?

Long-term goals are not trends; they demand deep introspection. Socrates nailed it: “An unexamined life is not worth living.” Purpose emerges from tough conversations with yourself. Purpose builds goals. Goals shape habits. Habits forge character.

Here is a stubborn truth: growth demands continuous change. A new year offers the chance to fine-tune your goals, but real change begins with your mindset and daily habits. The most important transformation happens in private, behind closed doors, when you face yourself honestly.

Sticking to life goals that fuel personal growth is hard. It is a marathon, not a sprint.

Yes, most people have already given up on their resolutions. But that does not mean 2025 has to be another wasted year.

So, what is next?

Start by having an unflinching conversation with yourself. Where are you? Where do you want to be? Then muster the courage and discipline to cut what is not working. Strip away distractions. Stop obsessing over external factors beyond your control. You might be surprised how shifting your mindset changes most things.

Sometimes, growth requires tough choices—like walking away from toxic relationships that stifle progress. Surround yourself with people who elevate you, who challenge and inspire you.

Time is life’s most democratic gift—we all get 24 hours a day. Guard it fiercely. Be mindful of where and with whom you invest it. Are you prioritizing learning and self-improvement, or drowning in social media’s endless scroll? Are you giving sleep—nature’s ultimate rejuvenator—the respect it deserves?

And remember, you don’t have to go it alone. Find mentors, coaches, accountability partners or therapists who will push you toward your purpose.

Long-term goals thrive on clarity, values, and discipline. They are nurtured by intention, courage, and persistence.

God did not create you by accident. You are not a mistake. 2025 is still yours to reclaim. Dig yourself out from under abandoned resolutions and commit to the work of building a life rich with meaning, impact, love, and joy.

Trevor Ncube is Chairman of Alpha Media Holdings and host of In Conversation With Trevor. This is an excerpt from the weekly Newsletter . Please subscribe for thought provoking fresh insights.

In Conversation With Trevor

In Conversation with Nyasha Gwatidzo

Nyasha Gwatidzo, a social entrepreneur. discusses her passion for working with children, her journey in starting a foster care agency in London and building a business that now has a turnover of 150 million pounds from an initial investment of just 500 pounds.
Watch her episode
here..

Audience Responses

From Nyasha Gwatidzo episode, our community had this to say:

@nicolemadziwa4696:

Such beautiful and inspirational work❤

@UniqueZimuto:

What an inspiring journey! Thank you for sharing your story.

Podcasts

• Chipo Mapondera; Creative Technologist
• Ritash Anand; Global Fund Manager & Entrepreneur
• Kumbirai Katsande; Retired Business Executive and Entrepreneur