You just touched the heart, and even the pride, of most of us, the New Year's Resolutions "team"... The first step to solve a problem is to admit that it exists. Yes, New Year's Resolutions fail, just like every other new habits fail, because you just start the wrong way. To much planning and titanic expectations and challenges.
I think, from experience, that what works is a little bit of "this" and a little bit of "that". I started using an app called "Fabulous", yes, I know, the name is promising. But, besides it achieving great score on the google market, it is a very well designed app the leads you to achieve some of your possible goals.
Besides that, here goes some of my new year's resolutions (that I have been working on for some days):

• Have at least 4 meals a day (since I have the bad habit of skippin' some, especially breakfast)
• Start an exercising habit (could be just a 20min. walk in the mornig, or just a 7 minute workout, but I have to start moving my body with consistency)
• Build an emergency fun (finance wise) since, as I will explain in my first series of posts here on SteemIt, financial stability is one of my important goals in times to come.
• Prepare myself for getting back to the university and star a carreer change (by that I mean starting to study mathematics, since I come from a Social Science's Background, and I am aiming to study computer engeniering and coding)
• Start posting on SteemIt consistently, since I feel the need, but am still procastinating about some projects I have for this area.

These goals will lead me to these major goals, arranged by priority:

• Become healthier;
• Consolidate my financial situation;
• Prepare for a career change;
• Work on archived and side projects;

Hope this works out. ;)
BTW, congrats to The Alien. Always with good and inspiring work!