With 2026 just hours away, many of you may be mapping out your goals for the next 12 months.

From fitness to travel, the wish lists for New Year’s resolutions are boundless. But as we all know, making a resolution is the easy part. Making it stick is the real challenge.

Regardless of the goal, taking realistic steps is often the difference between success and failure.

“Make a commitment to yourself, get an accountability partner where you can share with each other your goals, and then be real about what fits your current life,” life coach Claudia Gomez said. “If you say, ‘no. I'm going to start everything from scratch, and I’m going to put a lot of time into it,’ you're setting yourself up for failure, and you're sabotaging yourself from the beginning."

Gomez said the biggest mistake people make with their resolutions is being too vague.

“For example, one very common resolution is, ‘I want to eat healthier,'" Gomez said. "That's not a goal, that's a wish. How are you going to become healthier? ‘I'm gonna eat more salad.’ OK, in what meal?"

Gomez said the final key to a long-lasting resolution is giving yourself some grace.

“We're humans. We are going to fail sometimes, so be compassionate with yourself,” Gomez said. “Be clear that whatever you do for yourself, are the results you're going to get. Your resolutions are not going to help anyone but you.”

Watch the video above for the full story.