Resolution Warning: Louisiana Named the “Most Likely to Fail” State

It's that time of year again! People all over Louisiana are once again preparing to fail.

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Routinely, from 30 to 45 percent of all Americans will strive to better themselves via some type of New Year's Resolution.

And inevitably, most will fail. In fact, research indicates that approximately a fourth of all will quit the resolution by the end of the first week. Over forty percent won't last through the month of January, and less than 10 percent will achieve their long-term goals.

Louisiana Residents Are The Most Likely To Fail At Their New Year's Resolution

Those plans to stop smoking, work out more, eat healthier, or whatever, somehow fade to a distant memory, and it's especially bad here in Louisiana. Actually, it's worse here than in any other state.

Action Network surveyed over two thousand American adults to determine what they call a "Resolution Break Rate", using various work and lifestyle pressure indicators, including average weekly work hours, stress, and well-being rankings, along with post-January drops in self-improvement search interest observed since 2020.

Once the dust had settled from the survey, Action Network showed that Louisiana residents were the most likely of all to fail on that New Year's resolution.

Louisiana's 46% Resolution Break Rate Makes For Extremely Tough Follow-Through

Ranking first overall, Louisiana residents were assigned a 30.9% implied probability of  breaking a New Year’s resolution. Long average work weeks at 36.5 hours and a 46% resolution break rate create the toughest environment for follow-through.

Other key findings from the Action Network regarding Louisiana's resolution break rate include:

• Nearly half of Louisiana respondents (46%) report having broken a resolution in the past or expecting to break one in the coming year, placing the state among the worst for self-reported follow-through.
• Louisiana also posts the longest average work week among the top 10 states at 36.5 hours, adding time pressure that makes it harder to maintain new routines.
• Stress and well-being further separate Louisiana from lower-risk states. The state ranks 29th nationally on stress and well-being, reinforcing an environment where consistency is harder to sustain.
• Motivation fades quickly after January. Louisiana shows a measurable post-January drop in self-improvement search interest (3.17%), reinforcing how quickly momentum declines once the new year begins.

And which states are most likely to keep that resolution? Believe it or not, Nevada and Connecticut, are most likely to achieve their goals and stick with that resolution.

Actually, with an implied probability of breaking that resolution below 9%, Connecticut posted the lowest resolution break rate in the study with relatively stable self-improvement search behavior.

While the odds aren't actually in our favor, maybe this year, is the year.  After all, over 5% do succeed, so maybe this is your year to be part of the 5% right?  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.