On Jan. 1, gyms overflow, journals fill up and planners sell out, yet by February the only thing people are exercising is denial. Every year, we swear this will be the time we finally change, and every year most of us don’t. According to Drive Research, on average, only 9% of Americans stick to their resolutions throughout the year, and by February only 25% are still going strong. But why? For the most part, it’s because our misconceptions about habit building and goal setting don’t set us up for success.

To see resolutions through, they must be realistic and measurable. This is something people often overlook when making their list of New Year goals. Typically, the goals sound like “stop eating sugar,” “work out more” or “become organized.” This phrasing offers no actual plan for improvement, and “not eating sugar” isn’t realistic if you haven’t already taken gradual steps to reduce your sugar intake. Goals aren’t reached overnight, so you can’t expect your habits to change overnight either. Realistic goals align with your values and take into account the habits you already have. They should be specific, start small and include scheduled check-ins for progress. For example, instead of “work out more,” try “work out three times a week in January.” This version outlines what to do, doesn’t require drastic lifestyle changes and gives you a timeline for completion and reflection.

Another sign a resolution is likely to fail is if you’re setting it for someone else or letting external rewards and punishments motivate you. You can’t stop a bad habit because other people want you to; you have to want it for yourself. If you set a goal for or in spite of someone else, your motivation becomes dependent on them. If something changes in that relationship, your commitment may change too. Similarly, if you rely on rewards for motivation, your progress becomes tied to them. If the rewards stop, your progress often will too.

So why do we keep making resolutions year after year if they keep failing? According to Meredy Russell Carlstone, AP and IB psychology teacher, a major contributor to this cycle is the “fresh start effect.”

“[The fresh start effect] is a psychological reasoning that due to the new year or even a birthday, it is possible to separate yourself from the ‘old you’ from last year and start new with a clean slate,” Russell said.

The problem is, no matter how hard you try to convince yourself, you are not a new person in the new year. You are the same person with the same habits and values. You can’t rely on the calendar to motivate you to improve. Starting on Jan. 1 is no different than starting Dec. 15 or July 22. It doesn’t change your chances of committing to a resolution.

This isn’t to say it’s impossible to stick to New Year’s resolutions. It means you must be deliberate when creating them and realistic about the outcome. Failure and setbacks are inevitable, but it’s important to give yourself grace and use those failures as learning experiences. Most people don’t plan for what they’ll do when they slip up, which makes it harder to recover. Planning for possible setbacks in advance can save you time and stress and help you get back on track. Don’t wait for New Year’s Day to start your self-improvement journey. If you want to change something, start now.

“Today is always a good day to start; your time is now, your life is now,” Russell said. “Don’t wait for a specific date. There is never a better time than right now.”