A new survey asks 2-thousand Americans about their goals for the year ahead and finds that people are setting six, on average, and the most popular ones aren’t too surprising.
According to the poll, only 10% say they feel very good about 2025 as a whole, calling it a “great” year. Most respondents were less positive, with 39% saying this year was “just okay” and 19% calling it “bad.” Another 10% went as far as saying 2025 has been “awful.”
- In an effort to turn things around in the future, 38% are setting personal goals or resolutions.
- Millennials are the group most likely to set New Year’s intentions (57%), while baby boomers are least likely (23%).
- Men are slightly more likely than women to set goals for 2026 (44% versus 35%), and guys are also more motivated to keep them (93% compared to 85%).
- The most popular New Year’s resolutions for 2026 are putting more money into savings (45%), getting more exercise (45%) and improving overall physical health (41%).
- People also want to eat healthier (40%), improve their “holistic financial wellness” (34%), spend more time outdoors (29%) and boost their mental health (29%).
- But there are hurdles to reaching those goals, as Gen Z (45%), millennials (49%), and Gen X (45%) all say not having enough money is the biggest barrier for them. For baby boomers, it’s not having enough willpower (37%).
- Mental health challenges (28%) and a lack of time (22%) also hold people back from achieving their resolutions.
- Half (49%) of respondents believe 2026 will be their year and that they’ll finally get to a better place mentally.
- Overall, Americans rate their mental health a seven out of 10, with many hoping to boost that number in 2026.
Source: Talker
