It’s late December and the new benefits year is upon us, so your employees are very aware of their gym discounts. Everyone is getting caught up in the “New Year, New You” buzz and you encourage them to sign up for gym memberships because “what better time than now?” and many clubs are waiving enrollment fees. Most of your population aren’t really gym goers, but this seems like the right time to try it. They probably attend the gym for the first month, maybe two if they’re really dedicated. And then, inevitably, the drop-off: life gets in the way, and since they felt obligated to exercise rather than excited to, they just wound up subsidizing the cost of membership for the people who attend regularly. The “what have I got to lose” mentality takes over, and loss aversion doesn’t really work when it’s “only” $10 at stake. You can easily forget about that money (and the elliptical that you dreaded) because it’s not really enough to miss each month. Maybe cut back on the daily latte habit to make up for it.

So, why did these people “fail?” As evidenced by the New Year’s resolutioners’ rise and fall in fitness attendance, we know that quick fixes don’t work. The key to progress is consistency and intrinsic motivation. They didn’t fail at fitness, they just didn’t choose something that they enjoy doing consistently.