Results of the annual FranklinPlanner survey of New Year's Resolutions. For 2014, questions focused on HOW individuals achieve their resolutions, not just what their resolutions are.

1. November 2013

2. 

Sample Size of 1,039 respondents.
◦ U.S. respondents
◦ Aged 18 to 60
◦ Nationally representative demographics
Statistically significant, with sampling error at the 95%
confidence rate.
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
2

3. Question: Did you set resolutions or personal
goals for yourself for 2013?
45%
55%
Yes
No
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
3

4. Question: Which of the following best describes your
primary 2013 New Year’s Resolution?
40%
36%
30%
20%
18%
12%
12%
10%
10%
8%
3%
2%
0%
Become more Improve my
physically fit or
health
lose weight
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
Improve work
habits/career
situation
Improve my
financial
condition
Become more
educated
Read more
Travel more
Other (please
specify)
4

5. Question: Which of the following helped you as you pursued your
Physical Fitness/Weight Loss Resolution?
Check all that apply.
80%
67%
60%
51%
40%
34%
33%
22%
20%
12%
10%
0%
Created a
workout plan
Created an
eating plan
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
Used an
Shared my goal Kept a journal Met with others Other (please
online/software with friends
to share
specify)
app calorie
progress and/or
counter, e.g.
challenges
MyFitnessPal
5

6. Question: Which was the most helpful?
Check only one.
Created a workout plan
29%
Created an eating plan
22%
Used an online/software app
calorie counter, e.g. MyFitnessPal
18%
Shared my goal with friends
10%
Kept a journal
6%
Met with others to share progress
and/or challenges
5%
Other (please specify)
10%
0%
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
6

7. Question: Which of the following helped you as you pursued
your Health Improvement Resolution?
Check all that apply.
60%
50%
40%
52%
41%
27%
30%
20%
26%
24%
15%
10%
2%
0%
Created an
Met with your Started taking Stopped certain Shared my goal Met with others Other (please
eating/diet plan doctor or other
health
behaviors, e.g. with friends
to share
specify)
medical
supplements
smoking
progress and/or
specialist
challenges
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
7

8. Question: Which was the most helpful?
Check only one.
Created an exercise plan
27%
Created an eating/diet plan
24%
Stopped certain behaviors, e.g. smoking
18%
Met with your doctor or other medical specialist
16%
Shared my goal with friends
6%
Met with others to share progress and/or
challenges
5%
Started taking health supplements
3%
Other (please specify)
2%
0%
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
8

9. Question: Which of the following helped you as you pursued your
Work/Career Improvement Resolution?
Check all that apply.
60%
50%
40%
56%
46%
35%
30%
32%
27%
25%
24%
22%
20%
10%
14%
6%
6%
0%
d a plan that included specific activities and timelinesbooks on job interviews
Updated my resume ead
R
Went
Called Signed upMetincreased activity on LinkedIn heads, and/or HR Took meetings
contacts to network
or with management, department addressed specific employment skills Other course specify
Took a training course that
Held networking a time management (please
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
9

10. Question: Which was the most helpful?
Check only one.
Created a plan that included specific activities and timelines
30%
Went on job interviews
16%
Met with management, department heads, and/or HR
10%
Read books
8%
Took a training course that addressed specific employment…
8%
Updated my resume
6%
Signed up or increased activity on LinkedIn
6%
Held networking meetings
5%
Called contacts to network
3%
Took a time management course
2%
Other (please specify)
6%
0%
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
10%
20%
30%
40%
10

11. Question: Which of the following helped you as you pursued your
Improved Financial Condition Resolution?
Check all that apply.
60%
55%
50%
40%
38%
30%
20%
20%
19%
13%
11%
10%
0%
Created a plan with weekly/monthly/quarterly
goals
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
Shared my goal with friends
Met with a financial advisor
11

12. Question: Which was the most helpful?
Check only one.
Created a plan with weekly/monthly/quarterly
goals
34%
Kept a journal of spending
22%
Tracked my spending on an online/software
app
11%
Shared my goal with friends
8%
Met with others to share progress and/or
challenges
6%
Met with a financial advisor
6%
Other (please specify)
13%
0%
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
10%
20%
30%
40%
12

13. Question: Which of the following helped you as you pursued your
Improved Education Resolution?
Check all that apply.
60%
52%
50%
41%
40%
41%
39%
30%
20%
16%
16%
14%
7%
10%
0%
Took one or Took one or Read more Attended one
Joined a
Interviewed a Joined a book Other (please
more classes more classes books than
or more
discussion
specialist or
club
specify)
in a classroom
online
previous years
lectures
group other practitioner on
than a book
a topic of
club
interest
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
13

14. Question: Which was the most helpful?
Check only one.
Took one or more classes in a classroom
48%
Took one or more classes online
30%
Read more books than previous years
9%
Attended one or more lectures
7%
Joined a discussion group other than a book club
Joined a book club
5%
0%
Other (please specify)
2%
0%
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
20%
40%
60%
14

15. Question: Which of the following helped you as you pursued your
Increased Reading Resolution?
Check all that apply.
50%
47%
40%
33%
30%
27%
27%
20%
20%
20%
20%
10%
0%
Visited online
bookstores for
ideas, e.g.
Amazon
Started
downloading
more digital
books
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
Started shopping Started visiting
Joined a book Signed up on an
at bookstores
the local library club that meets in online site that
more frequently more frequently person or online recommends
books, e.g.
Goodreads
Other (please
specify)
15

16. Question: Which was the most helpful?
Check only one.
Started shopping at bookstores more frequently
27%
Visited online bookstores for ideas, e.g. Amazon
27%
Signed up on an online site that recommends
books, e.g. Goodreads
13%
Started downloading more digital books
7%
Joined a book club that meets in person or online
7%
Started visiting the local library more frequently
0%
Other (please specify)
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
20%
0%
10%
20%
30%
16

17. Question: Which of the following helped you as you pursued your
Increased Travel Resolution?
Check all that apply.
80%
67%
67%
67%
60%
44%
44%
40%
22%
22%
20%
11%
0%
d a plan with specific activities and friends locations Readto people who lived in potential travel destinations television shows specify)
Talked with family, timelines
Did online research about and/or Talked travel magazinesto visit Read travel books
colleagues about places
Watched travel
Other (please
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
17

18. Question: Which was the most helpful?
Check only one.
Did online research about locations
44%
Talked to people who lived in potential travel
destinations
22%
Talked with family, friends and/or colleagues about
places to visit
22%
Read travel magazines, books
0%
0%
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
18

19. Question: Are you still working on your 2013 New Year’s Resolutions?
100%
18%
20%
20%
24%
80%
29%
33%
47%
25%
60%
75%
40%
82%
80%
80%
76%
71%
67%
53%
20%
Yes
No
0%
Become more Improve my
educated
health
Improve my Improve work Become more Travel more
financial
condition
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
Read more
habits/career physically fit
situation
or lose weight
19

20. Question: Why did you stop? Choose only one answer.
Travel more
60%
54%
Improve work habits/career
Become more educated
40%
20%
33%
situation
50%
30%
100%
22%
Read more
27%
7%
10%
0%
Other
(please
specify)
29%
8% 15%
60%
10%
29%
23%
5%
25%
5%
Become more physically fit or lose
Gave up Achieved The goal
the goal was no
longer
relevant
67%
54%
Improve my health
60%
11%
43%
Improve my financial condition
12%
7%
76%
weight
0%
8% 10%
50%
100%
The goal was no longer relevant
Other (please specify)
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
Gave up
Achieved the goal
20

21. Question: Did you set
resolutions or personal goals
for yourself for 2013?
Question: Are you going to
set resolutions or personal
goals for 2014?
26%
45%
55%
20%
Yes
No
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
54%
Yes
No
Don't know at this time.
21

22. Question: Which of the goals are likely 2014 Resolutions?
Improve physical fitness (e.g. exercise more)
60%
Improve financial situation (e.g. save…
52%
Improve health (e.g. better diet, less junk food, more…
48%
Lose weight
47%
Improve work habits/career situation
26%
Read more
26%
Change overall attitude: be more “positive”
23%
Improve relationships with family members…
23%
Travel more
23%
Become more educated (take courses)
21%
Improve relationships with others…
20%
Do (more) volunteer work
19%
Change career or job
18%
Take up a new hobby e.g. learn to paint/ski/play a…
17%
Quit/cut down caffeine, sweets use
14%
Reduce TV watching
8%
Quit/reduce smoking cigarettes
8%
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
22

23. Question: Are you going
to set resolutions or
personal goals for 2014?
Question: Please check all the
reasons that you are going to
set 2014 Resolutions.
Gives me a sense of direction
26%
20%
49%
Keeps me focused
54%
46%
Makes me feel good about
myself
37%
Gives me a “sense” of
achievement
35%
Have always been a goal
“setter”
24%
To set a good example for my
children (to teach them to set…
Yes
No
Don't know at this time.
15%
Only way I can get things
accomplished
12%
Others around me have
encouraged me to set them
7%
0%
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
20%
40%
60%
23

24. Question: Are you going
to set resolutions or
personal goals for 2014?
Question: Please share why you are
not pursuing 2014 Resolutions.
Check all that apply.
I know what I need to do; setting
goals for myself is not necessary
46%
I don’t think it makes you any more
likely to achieve things
26%
38%
25%
I’m not a goal setting person
20%
54%
17%
I’m content with my life as is
I’ve set them in the past and didn’t
achieve them so I don’t anymore
13%
I don’t like to formally set goals
because I know that I would feel…
Yes
No
Don't know at this time.
I just never get around to it
11%
10%
I’m too busy
3%
I’ve achieved my primary goals and
don’t need to set more
3%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
24

25. Location (Census Region)
Education
Household Income
2% 10%
14%
23%
17%
29%
Middle Atlantic
West North Central
East South Central
Mountain
15%
32%
36%
New England
East North Central
South Atlantic
West South Central
Pacific
23%
$0 - $24,999
$25,000 - $49,999
$50,000 - $99,999
$100,000 - $149,999
$150,000+
Less than high school degree
High school degree
Some college
Associate or bachelor degree
Graduate degree
Age
Gender
1%
0%
29%
38%
48%
53%
33%
Male
Source:
FC Organizational Products 2014 Survey
Female
< 18
18-29
30-44
45-60
> 60
25