It’s a new year! How’s it going? Have you already made progress on those New Year's resolutions? Are you starting to feel a little tempted to quit? You’ve got this—don’t give up yet!

Did you know that this Friday, February 9th, marks Quitters Day? It’s the second Friday of the year, and studies have shown that it’s the day when most people abandon their New Year's resolutions. Fitness apps, surveys, and countless stories all point to this as the day when motivation fades and people give up.

But here's the question: Are you going to quit? Or are you going to turn this year into the one where you stick with it?

Change vs. Transformation

Let’s dive into a key concept that can make or break your resolution: change vs. transformation.

• Change: Change is when you take a new action or develop a new attribute, but still within the same context. It’s the old you trying to white-knuckle through something different—acting in a new way but without a true shift in identity.

• Transformation: Transformation is something deeper. It’s a change in who you are at your core. It’s a shift in your identity and context. Transformation isn’t just about changing what you do; it’s about becoming someone who does things differently. It’s about shedding the old “you” and stepping into a new version of yourself.

The 7 Times I Quit Smoking

I want to share a personal story that illustrates the difference between change and transformation. I tried to quit smoking seven times. Yes, you read that right—seven! Statistically, it takes an average of seven attempts to successfully quit a bad habit, so don’t worry if you’ve struggled before. It’s completely normal to face setbacks along the way.

Here’s how my internal dialogue went during my first six attempts:

"Oh man, I really want a cigarette. They calm me down. They make me feel normal. I feel so awkward without something in my hands. But I know they’re bad for me. I need to stop. I can do this. Just hold out a little longer…"

I’d try making new rules for myself—no smoking indoors, no smoking in the car—but deep down, I was still the person who smoked. I was trying to change, but I hadn’t yet transformed my identity.

Then came attempt number seven. Something shifted, and my inner dialogue went like this:

"Cigarettes are NASTY! This smoke is poisoning my lungs. I smell gross. I’ve been disrespecting my body. I can’t believe I ever did this. This is it. I’m never going back. This is poison. SO GROSS!"

That was when the transformation happened. I wasn’t just making rules anymore; I had fully shed the old “me” who smoked. I told everyone I encountered how gross smoking was. I became someone who no longer saw smoking as an option. That shift in identity is what finally allowed me to quit for good.

Three Takeaways to Help You Beat Quitters Day

1. Change vs. Transformation
   Change is about trying to force a new behavior within your old self. Transformation is about becoming a new version of yourself that aligns with the change you want to make.

2. Accountability
   By changing the stories you’re believing and telling others, you’re creating accountability. You hold yourself accountable to the person you want to become because to go back to your old ways, you’d have to live out of alignment with who you say you are, and our brains can’t stand that dissonance. You’re also accountable to others—when you’ve shared your new journey, you can’t easily fall back into old habits without exposing yourself as a fraud, and our brains hate that, too.

3. Am I Going to Talk About It?
   One of the most powerful ways to reinforce your transformation is by talking about it. When you tell others about the changes you’re making, it strengthens your commitment and creates external accountability. It’s harder to quit when you’re vocal about your journey.

Conclusion: Keep Going—You’ve Got This!

As Quitters Day approaches, remember that change doesn’t happen overnight. But if you focus on transformation—on becoming someone new—it’s much easier to stick with it. Don’t give up just because you hit a rough patch. Shift your identity, embrace the new version of yourself, and share your journey with others to stay accountable.

You’ve got this! Make 2025 the year you transform, not just change. The new you is waiting on the other side of Quitters Day. Keep going—you’re closer than you think.