Building Better Resolutions: A logic Model Approach
There’s something magical about the first days of January. Like opening a brand-new spreadsheet to 2026, where the cells are empty, no formulas have broken (yet), and for a brief moment, the Conditional Formatting gods smile upon us.
Every January, millions of people jump into the ritual of writing New Year’s resolutions. But, if you’re someone who lives and breathes evaluation (hi, friends), you know the truth: most resolutions fail not because people don’t care about them, but because they’re built without a logic model. Yes, I said it! A logic model is the ULTIMATE New Year’s resolution tool!
Both New Year’s resolutions and a good logic model share the same DNA: clarity, intention, alignment, and realistic pathways from “man, I hope that will happen” to “what I will actually do to make it happen”.
So as we step into the New Year full of possibilities, let’s reframe resolutions by treating them like elements of our very own personal logic model.
1. Problem statement: Let’s make our resolution honest!
In evaluation, we don’t design programs just because something sounds nice. After all, there is a saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”.
Programs, just like New Year’s resolutions, are created because:
A gap exists
A need is documented
A challenge has been identified
The same should be true for resolutions. So let’s be honest with ourselves and come right out with what it is we want to accomplish that will fill that gap.
2. Inputs: What do you need to accomplish your goal?
The traditional resolution skips right to the outcome. But a logic model reminds us to start earlier and determine what we need:
Time (Do you actually have 10 spare hours a week, or is this more of a 20-min window situation?)
Resources (Running shoes, YouTube tutorials, Kindle Subscription)
Motivation (Are you excited, or simply feeling pressured to do something new?)
Context (Weather, work cycles, childcare schedules, energy levels)
Just like in any good logic model, your inputs determine the strength of everything that follows.
3. Activities: What are you actually going to do?
A resolution without activities is just a wish. 🪄 We can’t expect anything to happen unless we are actively doing something to get our goal accomplished. A logic-model-inspired resolution forces specificity:
Not “read more”, but, “read 20 minutes before bed three times a week”.
Not “be healthier”, but, “meal-prep healthy lunches on Sunday for the week”.
Not “walk more”, but, “on Mondays & Wednesday, take a walk during my lunch break”.
Activities are where transformation occurs. Not in the lofty intention, but in repeatable action.
4. Outputs: Show your evidence?
Outputs are the tangible evidence you did the thing. They don’t measure impact - they measure activity completion.
Number of pages read
Number of walks taken
Number of days you didn’t abandon your to do list by February 1st.
Outputs keep you honest. Whether you have an accountability partner, or you are your own self-evaluator, outputs are the evaluation equivalent to saying “Look, I actually did something.”
5. Outcomes: The Short-Mid-Long term Magic
Resolutions fail because we expect immediate long-term results without acknowledging the short term wins that stack up to that long-term victory. A logic model reminds us we need:
Short Term Outcomes: Allows us to feel more focused, recognizes patterns in habits, and provides us with a gaining confidence
Mid Term Outcomes: New habits start becoming routine and consistency feels easier
Long-Term Outcomes: A sense of alignment and purpose, and the sustainability of habits that won't expire
6. Evaluation/Impact: Did your resolution work?
A logic model is incomplete without evaluation and so isn’t a New Year’s resolution. Instead of waiting for December 2026 to feel guilty about what didn’t happen, build in mini-check points and evaluate how things are going.
What’s working?
What’s not?
What needs to be revised? (not abandoned!)
What do the data say about your habits? (actual evidence, not the guilt talking)
If something isn’t working, you don’t need a new resolution, you just need a better logic model!
So this year…don’t just set resolutions, build a logic model!
It helps you:
Align your intentions with reality
Break big aspirations into doable steps
Track progress meaningfully
Adapt when life shifts
Celebrate the outcomes that actually matter
A logic model doesn’t just tell you what you want; it clarifies how you’ll get there, why it matters, and what success will look like along the way. Because the truth is, resolutions fade, but logic models guide!
🎉Here’s to a New Year filled with good data, clear pathways, aligned inputs, and outcomes that feel worth celebrating!
🚀To get you started, click here for an editable Canva template to design your very own New Year’s Resolution Logic Model!
Let us know in the comments what your New Year’s resolution is.
Or, better yet, drop your New Year’s resolution logic model in the comments!
✨Xcalibur will be diving deep into logic models & having discussions rooted in outcomes at our Xcalibur conference in May of 2026.