Why 92% of Business Goals Will Fail by February (And How to Be the 8%)

Brandy Stamper
Jan 5
3 min read

If you walked into a board meeting and presented a strategy with a 92% failure rate, you would be fired before lunch.

Man struggles under "New Year's Resolution" rock; text shows 92% fail. Woman and man operate gears, text shows 8% succeed. Office setting.

Yet, every January, millions of high-achieving leaders sign up for a strategy that has exactly those odds: The New Year’s Business Goals.

According to research from the Journal of Clinical Psychology, 92% of people who set New Year’s goals fail to achieve them. By February, most of that "New Year Energy" has evaporated, leaving you with the same old habits and a lot of guilt.

Why Willpower Alone Does Not Work for Business Goals

Many leaders believe that discipline and willpower will carry them through tough tasks. They rely on external motivation—deadlines, trends, or the pressure to “do more.” This approach demands constant effort to push through resistance, but willpower is a limited resource.

Willpower works like a battery that drains with every decision and challenge you face during the day. When your business growth depends on forcing yourself to do things that drain your energy, you are not building a sustainable business. You are building burnout.

For example, a business owner who tries to cold call hundreds of prospects daily may start strong but soon feel exhausted and demotivated. The effort to keep pushing drains their willpower, and the strategy collapses.

The Difference Between Force and Design

The 8% of leaders who succeed do not have more willpower than others. They simply do not rely on it as much. Instead of forcing themselves to follow a plan that feels unnatural, they design their business strategy around their unique energy and decision-making style.

This means shifting from external motivation to internal flow. When your strategy aligns with your natural strengths, you use less willpower and gain more momentum.

Understanding Your Human Design in Business

Human Design is a framework that helps you understand your energy type, decision-making authority, and natural workflow. By applying this to your business strategy, you can create a plan that feels easier and more effective.

For example, here are the three main energy types and how they can shape your approach:

Builders

Builders have steady energy but need to respond to opportunities rather than initiate cold outreach. Instead of pushing hard to find new leads, they build magnetic inbound systems that attract clients naturally.

Guides

Guides thrive by guiding others and making high-leverage decisions. They avoid hustling long hours and focus on strategic influence, such as advising clients or leading teams.

Initiators

Initiators are natural catalysts who do best when they inform others about their actions rather than ask for permission. They move quickly and create momentum by communicating clearly and confidently.

How to Start Your "Anti-Resolution" Year

This week, I want you to look at your Q1 goals.

Ask yourself: "Does this goal require me to fight my own nature to achieve it?"

Businesswoman in a modern office beside a building model. Large windows showcase cityscape. Wall screen displays charts and graphs.

If the answer is yes, you are setting yourself up to be part of the 92%.

If you want to know how you are actually built to operate, I have a free tool for you.

My Performance Style Blueprint is not a generic personality quiz; it uses your specific birth data to map out your leadership energy. It will show you exactly where you are leaking energy and how to get it back.

Get Your Free Performance Blueprint

For the leaders who already know they need an overhaul:

If you know that a "Free Blueprint" isn't enough and you are ready to completely rebuild your operating system, we are starting a 12-week infrastructure sprint on Jan 15th.

It is called Designed to Scale. We are going to install this Operating System directly into your business so you can grow revenue without the burnout.