For those who make New Year's resolutions, exercising more and losing weight are often at the top of the list, but whether your goals are to improve your health, save money or travel more, it can be hard to actually keep the resolutions you've chosen.

人们在确立新年决心的时候，多锻炼身体和减肥常常出现在榜首。但不管你的新年目标是更健康、攒更多钱还是多旅游几趟，实现它们却总是那么难。

So what causes some people to fail year after year when it comes to making resolutions, while others are successful? That's the question 23andMe-yes, the DNA¹ kit² company-set out to answer.

是什么导致一些人每年都无法实现目标，而另一些人总能成功实现心愿呢？基因检测公司23andMe想要找出答案。

The company surveyed 75,000 customers and found that only 21 percent of their customers made resolutions. Of those who made resolutions, 41 percent said they stuck with them. This is where things get interesting: 24 percent of women reported setting³ resolutions, compared to 18 percent of men.

该公司调查了7.5万名客户，发现只有21%的受访者会确立新年决心，在这其中，41%的人坚持了下来。下面的发现就有趣了：24%的受访女性会确立新年决心，男性受访者中这一比例为18%。

But while women were more likely to set new year goals, men were significantly⁴ better at sticking to theirs, especially as they grew older. Among the participants, 51.5 percent of men met their goals, compared to 42.6 percent of women who reported meeting theirs.

虽然确立新年决心的女性比例更大，男性坚持新年决心的比例却比女性高很多，随着男性年龄的增长，尤其如此。在受访者中，51.5%的男性实现了新年决心，女性中这一比例为42.6%。

No matter your individual goal, it's important to remember that over 80 percent of people who make New Year's resolutions drop them by February—and will completely forget about them by the end of the year.

不管你的个人目标是什么，重要的是要记住：确立新年决心的人当中超过80%在2月底之前就已经放弃，到年底更是会忘得一干二净。

If you're set on being in the 21 percent, it can help to join up with others on a similar mission⁵ for support along the way. And when you're feeling like giving up, remind yourself how to stick to your resolutions when failure seems imminent⁶.

如果你也属于21%的要确立新年决心的人，和有相似决心的人们一起行动起来有助于实现你的目标。当你觉得就要放弃时，当失败即将来临时，提醒自己如何才能坚持住。

Setting small, realistic goals with a sustainable plan of action is the only way to ensure your New Year's resolutions last from January to December and beyond.

要想保证你的新年决心从1月坚持到12月甚至更久，唯一的办法是设立一个现实的小目标，以及可持续的行动计划。

1. Is it specific?

新年决心具体吗？

Bad goal: I want to save more money this year

不推荐：明年要多存钱。

Good goal: I will save ￡6,000 this year

推荐：明年存6000英镑（约合5.2万元人民币）。

2. Can it be measured?

目标可以衡量吗？

Bad goal: I want to lose weight

不推荐：我要减肥！

Good goal: I will lose 2 stone by my son’s wedding

推荐：儿子结婚前我要减掉2英石（约合12.7公斤）。

3. Is it achievable or attainable⁷?

目标可以实现吗？

Bad goal: I want to speak to my friends on the phone each week

不推荐：我每周都要给朋友打电话。

Good goal: I will use the bus journey home to talk with my friends every week on the phone.

推荐：我要用每周坐公交回家的时间给朋友打电话。

4. Is it realistic?

目标现实吗？

Bad goal: I want to fit into my old jeans

不推荐：我要能穿进旧牛仔裤。

Good goal: I am going to get into my old jeans by June 1, 2019

推荐：2019年6月1日之前，我要能穿进旧牛仔裤。

5. Is it exciting?

目标让人振奋吗？

Bad goal: I want to save money

不推荐：我想存钱。

Good goal: I will save money so I can take my children on holiday to Disneyland

推荐：我要存钱，这样就能带孩子们去迪士尼乐园度假了。