Most New Year’s resolutions don’t fail because we’re lazy. They fail because our brain is wired to chase short-term rewa

2026-01-01

Most New Year’s resolutions don’t fail because we’re lazy. They fail because our brain is wired to chase short-term rewards, not long-term plans. For 2026, I’m not relying on “more discipline” to reach my targets. I’m relying on better systems (again) Remember that you don’t raise to the level of your objectives. You fall to the level of your systems. So let me tell you one of the things that has worked for me most: “temptation bundling.” The idea is straightforward: You pair something you should do with something you already want to do. But you only get the “want” while you’re doing the “should.” For example:

  • I might only allow myself to watch a favorite show while on the indoor bike trainer (this is my #1 hack, I can only watch Netflix while I burn fat in my Wahoo)
  • Or I only listen to a specific Spotify playlist when I’m doing boring admin work
  • Or I reserve a favorite snack for when I’m working on something that is hard for me to start This is how I’m making my 2026 goals more realistic, not just more ambitious. Nothing new. This is how I lost a bit if weight and completed some important tasks Here’s how you can also put this into practice for your own resolutions: 1) Make two lists
  • “Wants”: shows, podcasts, audiobooks, snacks, hobbies
  • “Shoulds”: exercise, budgeting, meal prep, writing, cleaning 2) Create your bundles Match each “should” with a “want” so the enjoyable thing becomes the built-in reward. 3) Make it exclusive The fun thing only happens during the less fun task. That’s what makes the bundle powerful. 4) Start small Use the two-minute rule: commit to just two minutes of the “should.” Once you start, continuing is much easier. This is not about hacking your willpower. It is about designing your environment so that productivity and pleasure show up together. As I map out my targets for 2026, I’m asking: Where can I bundle something I enjoy with the consistent actions that actually move the needle? If you’re setting resolutions this year, what’s one temptation bundle you could create for yourself to make your 2026 goals more achievable? Also, if you try it out, send me a message and tell me if it worked for you (or not!) hashtag # habits hashtag # productivity hashtag # behaviorchange hashtag # newyearsresolutions hashtag # personaldevelopment