Everyone's expecting you to quit

The difficult part of instigating change is getting the buy-in - first from yourself then from anyone else with a vital say in the matter.

But follow-through is the section where self-instigated change really falls apart. The assumption is that you won't have the energy, determination, to see things through - companies make billions on this (complaint (aka customer service) departments, marketing, etc), and politicians do as well...

I remember going to DC to join the March for Women's Lives in April, 2004. The next day GWB said something along the lines of 'everyone's entitled to their opinion' - and that was the end of that. Over 1 million people gather to speak their voice, and it gets rebuffed by one short line. Fortunately the number of protesters is enough to carry the movement even if it wasn't acted upon immediately.

Here's a response regarding Hong Kong's push for democracy:

"China knows Hong Kong can be controlled effectively ... even if there's another half million strong protest, Beijing will not be concerned," said Jin [Zhong, a veteran China-watcher and the publisher of the Hong Kong-based monthly magazine Open], referring to a pro-democracy protest in 2003. "It knows Hong Kong people are civilized, they'll go home and go to work the next day, it will pass."

As you're setting your resolutions for the coming year - rather than joining the ranks of those who expect you to quit, make sure you have enough momentum and support to carry yourself through the challenging times (set schedules, do a project with a friend, or organization, keep your purpose for the change clear, and/or get a coach).