New Year’s Resolutions? Overcome Obstacles and Get Stronger!

What Are New Year’s Resolutions?

New Year’s resolutions are those bursts of motivation where you think, “Next year, I’m going to do things differently!” Whether you want to stop snoozing, read more, or finally take part in Strong Viking, it’s all about small (or big) steps to make your life a little more fun or better.

Top 10 New Year’s Resolutions

Many people enter 2025 with the same resolutions. Here’s a top 10 list to inspire you!

1. Exercise More: “From now on, I’m going to start running!” (Until you realize how cozy your bed is in January.)
2. Eat Healthier: “No more snacks!” (But those cookies with coffee are so tempting.)
3. Take More Time for Yourself: “I’m going to truly relax this year.” (Until your schedule fills up with everything and anything.)
4. Learn New Things: “This month, I’m going to learn guitar.” (Well, you start by tuning it.)
5. Quit Smoking: “No more cigarettes from now on!” (But those nervous moments are still tough.)
6. Drink More Water: “I’ll drink two liters of water every day!” (Until you discover how often you’ll be visiting the bathroom.)
7. Be More Social: “I’m going to make plans with friends more often!” (Until you forget to reply to that group chat.)
8. Sleep Better: “I’m going to sleep eight hours a night!” (Until you realize your favorite series isn’t finished yet.)
9. Less Screen Time: “I’ll check my phone less!” (But Instagram is so tempting…)
10. Be Financially Healthy: “This year, I’ll get my budget in order!” (Until you see that sale and think, “I can afford it.”)

Why Do New Year’s Resolutions Often Fail?

It’s easy to come up with New Year’s resolutions for 2025. “I’ll exercise more” or “I want a healthier lifestyle” sounds fantastic on January 1st, but after a few weeks, old habits often return. Why does this happen? New Year’s resolutions often fail because:

• No Clear Goal: It’s easy to say “I’ll exercise more” or “I’ll eat healthy,” but without a concrete goal, motivation quickly fades. What does “more exercise” actually mean? How many times per week will you train, and what will you do? Without a clear plan, you’ll lose focus and direction.
  
  
• Not Challenging or Inspiring Enough: Resolutions that aren’t exciting or inspiring often remain on the drawing board. If your resolutions don’t inspire passion or challenge, motivation will quickly fade. What would really motivate you? What makes it worth sticking with? Vikings didn’t go on adventures without a clear, inspiring goal in mind. You should make your resolutions equally challenging to keep yourself motivated daily.
  
  
• No Plan or Routine: Goals without a plan are like a ship without a compass – it’s hard to find the right direction. A good resolution requires not only a goal but also a clear plan of action. How will you implement your resolution every day? What routines and habits will you build to achieve your goal? Without a structured plan, it’s easy to lose focus, especially when things get tough.

How to Stick to Your New Year’s Resolutions

It’s okay if you occasionally fall back into old habits. Exercising in the winter is still a challenge, and the Christmas leftovers really have to be finished off at some point. Falling back into old habits can happen to anyone – and trust us, it happens quite often. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be different! In fact, you can take inspiration from the Viking mentality to stick to your resolutions.

Vikings weren’t just perseverers; they were determined and used obstacles not only to overcome but to grow stronger. How did they do it? Here are some tips to help you stay committed to your resolutions, inspired by the fearless Viking spirit:

Focus on Your Goal

Sticking to your resolution in 2025 becomes much easier when you know why you’re doing it. The Vikings fought, traveled through storms, and faced enormous dangers, but their goal was always clear: discover new lands, conquer wealth, and make their name known in history. Their eyes were always on the prize, no matter the setbacks.

The same goes for you. Whether you’re training for an obstacle run or improving your health, set a clear goal for yourself. When you know what you want to achieve, every step, no matter how hard, feels like a step closer to victory. Like a Viking on an adventure, keep your eyes on your ultimate destination!

See Setbacks as Lessons

Just like the Vikings who got back up after every defeat, it’s important not to be discouraged by setbacks. A step back doesn’t mean the end of your journey. See it as an opportunity to learn and come back stronger. Did you miss a workout or stay up too late on a Friday night? No problem! Get up, start again, and keep going, just like a Viking who keeps fighting after every challenge. Focus not on how often you fall, but on how often you rise again!

Surround Yourself with Supportive People

Vikings didn’t work alone – their strength lay in their community. They fought side by side, supported each other, and motivated one another to keep going. This is also a crucial tip for sticking to your resolutions: surround yourself with a team. Whether it’s friends, family, or a group sharing the same goals, it’s much easier to stick to your resolutions when you encourage each other. And if you find it hard to find those people, check out our list of motivating gym quotes!

Be Flexible, But Resolute

Vikings were excellent strategists who adjusted their plans when needed. If circumstances changed, they were flexible enough to adapt, but their determination to achieve their goals remained steadfast. This means giving yourself the space to approach your resolutions in a way that works for you, even if you face obstacles along the way. It’s not about perfection, but about perseverance.

Celebrate Your Wins

Vikings loved a good celebration, sometimes partying for eight days straight! They believed the ultimate goal was to die honorably in battle so they could enjoy an eternal feast in Odin’s Valhalla. The celebrations and the ultimate goal gave Vikings motivation to keep going to their next adventure. Do the same with your own resolutions (except the dying part). Stuck to your goals for a week? Celebrate that! Small wins will help you stay motivated for the larger goal.

Strong Viking: The Ultimate New Year’s Resolution

Whether you want to live healthier, learn new things, take more time for yourself, work out more, or be more social: taking part in Strong Viking is the ultimate resolution! There are various challenges to choose from, so there’s always a challenge that suits you. Whether you’re training alone, working with friends, or following the obstacle run training plan: you’re working towards your ultimate goal.

And the best part? After your victory, we celebrate it just like the Vikings, with an (alcohol-free) beer in Valhalla. And that’s without the honorable death in battle (though after a run, it might feel like it). Ready to discover the Viking within you in 2025