For many, a new year is a time for a new start. The tradition of New Year’s resolutions started with the ancient Babylonians who made promises to the gods in order to get a good start on the new year, according to the history of New Year’s on History.com. Things haven’t changed that much. It is reported that the Babylonians would vow to pay off debts and return borrowed farm equipment. 

According to USA.gov, the most popular New Year’s resolutions are:

• Drink Less Alcohol
• Eat Healthy Food
• Get a Better Education
• Get a Better Job
• Get Fit
• Lose Weight
• Manage Debt
• Manage Stress
• Quit Smoking
• Reduce, Reuse and Recycle
• Save Money
• Take a Trip
• Volunteer to Help Others 

Many of those same goals are on Time magazine's top 10 most commonly broken New Year’s resolutions:

• Lose Weight and Get Fit
• Quit Smoking
• Learn Something New
• Eat Healthier and Diet
• Get Out of Debt and Save Money
• Spend More Time with Family
• Travel to New Places
• Be Less Stressed
• Volunteer
• Drink Less

So, apparently, if your resolutions include getting a better job, a better education or being more green, you have a better chance of keeping them.