New Year Resolutions, Executive Function & Goal Setting: Why You Still Need to Pack a Bag

As January approached, we made big, hopeful plans. We imagined that a more organized version of ourselves existed in the near future, someone who could stick to a healthier routine and offer us a fresh lease on life. The idea of this more disciplined person felt motivating, and it pushed us to set goals with that future version of ourselves in mind.

A few weeks later, when real life showed up, who we were had to implement those plans. Motivation led us to start strong, and then came the inevitable crash. We could not keep up with the volume of work we had scheduled, so we ended up doing none at all. Momentum faded, we abandoned the plan altogether, and returned to our old patterns.

If you have ever been caught in this pattern, it was not a willpower issue.

It is often a goal setting issue, rooted in how our executive function works under real pressure.

New Year’s resolutions often started the same way planning a trip did, full of excitement, big ideas, a clear picture of the destination, and eager anticipation.

The goalpost was visible. You felt motivated by the fresh start and genuinely desired the change. You bought the tickets, booked the hotels, the dream looked like it was shaping up, and then…

…the trouble usually showed up later, when it was time to “pack the bag.”

Just like packing for a trip, following through on a resolution requires a different set of skills than dreaming it up. It involves remembering details, starting on time, making decisions, and managing the small, unglamorous steps that actually get you there.

Those are executive function skills, and when they are stretched, it is easy to end up rushing at the last minute, metaphorically standing at the airport, hoping you did not forget your passport or your winter coat.

Executive function includes the mental skills that help us plan from where we are, start tasks from where we are, and remember what we intended to do with the end in mind.

We manage time, divide tasks into steps, and keep going even when things get difficult. When these skills are harder to access, even meaningful goals can feel overwhelming.

The answer is not to aim lower or give up on your goal.The answer is to pack better.

What “Packing a Bag” Really Means for Executive Function and Goal Setting

Supporting a goal means adding structure around it so it does not rely entirely on memory, motivation, or willpower. All three fluctuate and are not always reliable, especially for people with executive function challenges. This kind of structure becomes support systems for goals, and it is not optional. It is essential.

The one rule of packing: it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. According to science, here are a few things worth packing.

Start With a Smaller Goal Than You Think You Need

Big goals sound inspiring, and they can spark motivation, but they are often difficult for the brain to translate into action. When a goal feels too large or vague, it is easy to stall before even beginning. It is hard to go on a journey when there is no clear path.

This is where realistic goal setting matters more than ambition.

A clearer path looks like starting in the valley instead of sprinting toward the mountaintop. Replace the idea of perfect consistency with a goal that feels approachable.

• Count the days instead of keeping streaks

• Use shorter time blocks with breaks instead of long, exhausting sessions

• Set “start” goals instead of “finish” goals

A goal that feels doable is a goal you are more likely to return to.

Make the Starting Point Obvious

Many people with executive function challenges do not just struggle with doing tasks, they struggle with starting them. That is why advice like “just get started” often misses the point.

It helps to decide during planning what the very first step will be. Not the whole plan, just the opening move. It is easier to untangle a wire once you find the ends.

• Open the document

• Put on the shoes

• Set a five-minute timer

• Sit at the desk

• Take a deep breath

The brain dislikes abrupt change but responds well to consistency. Once you begin, continuing is often easier.

Use External Supports, On Purpose

If your plan lives only in your head, it relies entirely on memory and organization, two things that may already be overworked. External supports reduce mental load and make follow-through more realistic.

These are practical support systems for goals, not shortcuts.

Helpful supports include:

• Phone reminders or alarms

• Visual checklists

• Sticky notes or planners

• Keeping materials in visible places

• Coaches and accountability partners

Using support does not mean you lack discipline. It shows wisdom. It is smart design.

Decide What “Good Enough” Looks Like

Perfectionism often hides fear of failure and quietly derails progress. When success means doing something perfectly or forever, one off day can feel like total collapse.

Before starting, decide what still counts:

• Ten minutes of work counts

• Reading one page counts

• Writing one line of code counts

• Trying again tomorrow counts

Partial progress is still progress. It does not have to be flawless to be real.

Plan for the Days It Doesn’t Work

No one operates at full capacity every day. Motivation changes. Energy dips. Life interrupts. That does not mean your goal is broken. It means your structure needs flexibility.

This is part of building sustainable productivity, not short bursts of effort followed by burnout.

Plan for days when motivation is low:

• Missing a day means restarting, not quitting

• Forgetting means resetting reminders, not abandoning the goal

• If a system fails repeatedly, it deserves to be changed

Flexible systems last longer than rigid ones.

Make It a Little More Interesting

Executive function is closely tied to interest and energy. When something feels dull or draining, engagement becomes harder.

Try adding:

• Music or podcasts

• A reward afterward

• Working beside someone

• A change of environment

  
  

Productivity does not have to feel uncomfortable to be effective. This is also part of sustainable productivity.

The Bottom Line

If New Year’s resolutions did not work for you before, it does not mean you are incapable of change. It likely means you were trying to travel with a bag missing what you needed.

You had goals, but not enough structure to support them.You had motivation, but not enough executive function support to carry it through.

Now, do not just set the goal.

Support it.Adjust it.Pack what you need.Keep going, even when it looks imperfect.

That is not failure.That is working with your brain, not against it.

If you would like help building realistic systems that support your goals in real life, this is exactly what executive function coaching is designed for.

We are an essential accompaniment on your journey toward seamless functionality. Book a consultation with us and let us support your goal setting with structure that actually lasts.