As 2026 begins, many college students set New Year’s resolutions, but meeting those goals can be challenging and sometimes leave them feeling like they’ve failed.
Pastor Alexander Smith said students should recategorize what failure really means to them.
“You have to recategorize failure,” said Smith. “So if you see failure as something that is wrong with you, then you’ll find yourself struggling throughout the year, because you are wrestling with yourself.”
Smith is a life coach at True Understanding Ministry. He works to help people achieve their goals. Smith set a goal for himself in 2020 to lose weight, and he lost 140 pounds from 2020 to 2021.
He said that failure can improve you if you let it.
“If you see failure more as a stepping stone, instead of a stumbling block, then failure has come to improve you,” said Smith
Examples of goals students set are making better grades, working out more and saving money. One student shared how it’s been hard to follow through with the goal she set for herself as her New Year’s resolution.
“It has been very hard following through with my goal,” said psychology student Kieayla McKnight.
McKnight’s New Year’s resolution is to save more money and be mindful of her spending habits. So far, she feels that she hasn’t been fully following through on her goal.
“The biggest challenge I face is seeing something I want, and instead of buying it when it’s more convenient for my wallet, I buy it immediately despite not having the money for it,” she said.
Despite her challenges, McKnight recommends that other college students create resolutions for themselves.
“Setting goals and expectations for yourself and sticking to them strengthens your ability to stick to your word under any circumstance,” said McKnight.
Smith recommends that students follow five basic steps to avoid the pitfalls of New Year resolutions.
The first step is making a clear, measurable plan that is realistic for the time period and challenges that could arise in the future. The second step is visualization, and Smith recommends that students visualize themselves being successful. The third thing is to strategize. Set a strategy where you can implement your goals every day. The fourth thing is expect setbacks and use them to improve yourself. The final step is to celebrate yourself.
“The fifth thing is really important. Celebrate yourself, no matter how small your accomplishment is. Celebrate yourself and move yourself from negative criticism,” said Smith.
As students move into the new year, Smith encourages them to view setbacks as part of growth rather than signs of failure. By setting realistic goals, staying patient and celebrating progress, students can build habits that last well beyond January.
