9 signs you won't be able to achieve your New Year's resolution

With the new year comes the opportunity for a fresh start. That's why about half of all Americans set New Year's resolutions every January, according to a study from the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

But that same study found that only 8% of people actually achieve their resolutions. Perhaps that's because most of set out to make unrealistic or unachievable changes.

"This is the time of year people like to hit the reset button," says Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of "The Humor Advantage." "So many people consider New Year's the Super Bowl of goal-setting. But ask any fitness club owner about their membership stats come February, and it's clear that most people turn their Super Bowl-sized ambitions into ice cream bowls."

He says there are a variety of reasons people set unrealistic expectations, "ranging from simply being overly optimistic, to peer and societal pressure, to a significant life event - such as a divorce or job loss - that triggers a desire to overreach," Kerr explains.

He warns against putting all your goals into one big annual basket. "A far more successful strategy is trying to make small changes throughout the year." He also suggests you focus on one or two priorities, rather than a long list of resolutions.

"But even if you just set one resolution, don't set the bar too high. If you do, you'll end up discouraged - so much so that you risk losing progress and sliding backwards in some cases. One of the reasons gym memberships die off come February is that many people don't see enough progress by the end of January, so they lose all momentum."

Here are nine signs you won't be able to achieve your New Year's resolution: