A1 Level – Elementary
1. Do you make plans for the new year?
2. What is a big change?
3. Do you like learning new things?
4. What is a simple goal?
5. Do you think making resolutions helps?
6. What is a bad habit?
7. Do you worry about giving up quickly?
8. What is a good habit?
9. Do you think a year is a long time?
10. What is a strong motivation?
11. Do you tell friends your goals?
12. What is a quick failure?
13. Do you like simple ideas?
14. What are three common resolutions?
15. Do you think everyone should set goals?
A2 Level – Pre-Intermediate
1. What is the difference between a goal and a resolution?
2. Why do people usually choose to start on January 1st?
3. What are the good things and bad things about announcing your goals publicly?
4. How can a person break a bad habit?
5. Should all schools teach students how to set smart goals?
6. Why is it important to have a clear, specific plan?
7. Do you think most people give up too easily?
8. What is the purpose of setting a deadline for a goal?
9. How does peer support affect sticking to a commitment?
10. What is the difference between an ambitious and an unrealistic goal?
11. Do you think resolutions are a good thing or a waste of time?
12. What are the problems when people set too many goals?
13. When is the best time to review your progress?
14. What are two things that help maintain motivation?
15. How does a lack of self-control affect keeping a resolution?
B1 Level – Intermediate
1. What are the simple ways to politely ask a friend about their progress?
2. How does the economy affect resolutions related to money?
3. Should the government provide resources to support healthy lifestyle changes?
4. What is the difference between a life change and a simple task?
5. Do you believe that small, daily steps are better than one big change?
6. What are the challenges of remaining motivated after an initial failure?
7. How does focusing on the end result affect the joy of the process?
8. What is the idea of a “progress journal”?
9. Is it fair when a person is criticized for giving up a resolution?
10. How does a lack of accountability affect personal commitment?
11. What are the basic steps for turning a desire into an actionable plan?
12. What is the value of celebrating small milestones?
13. Should the news talk more about personal transformation stories?
14. What are the simple reasons why some people avoid setting goals?
15. How does the history of goal-setting affect modern self-help culture?
Check out this ESL lesson plan for B2 students – “Alternatives to New Year’s Resolutions”
B2 Level – Upper-Intermediate
1. What are the simple social problems caused by demanding high personal improvement?
2. What are the ethical issues when companies profit greatly from self-doubt?
3. How does constant social media showing of “perfect habits” affect motivation?
4. Should health and fitness companies be legally required to provide realistic success timelines?
5. How does the feeling of hope affect a person’s initial commitment?
6. Who is responsible for educating people on realistic self-improvement?
7. What is your simple view on the practice of high-intensity self-help programs?
8. What is the role of technology in tracking habits and progress?
9. How does the problem of impatience affect long-term commitment?
10. What are the clear problems with allowing people to hide their struggles?
11. What are the legal differences between a promise and a legally binding contract?
12. Do you think the main purpose of resolutions is self-reflection?
13. What steps can individual citizens take to support each other’s goals?
14. How does the lack of clear measurement affect tracking progress?
15. What are the simple psychological effects of successfully achieving a major goal?
C1 Level – Advanced
1. Is it fair that personal change often depends on having free time and resources?
2. What is the moral duty of a society to address systemic barriers to self-improvement?
3. How do global events affect the motivation for personal change?
4. When should the government consider mandatory wellness programs in the workplace?
5. What are the simple ethical problems of companies marketing unrealistic standards?
6. How does focusing on quick results affect the need for deep, sustainable change?
7. Discuss the effects of long-term failure on self-esteem and future goals.
8. How should leaders use policy to promote a culture of continuous learning?
9. What is the idea of “growth mindset”?
10. What are the long-term social effects when a whole generation feels constant pressure?
11. What are the clear difficulties when courts try to decide if a failure was due to lack of effort or external factors?
12. How does the desire for perfection affect the need for flexible planning?
13. Do you think the most important thing is the preservation of mental health?
14. What are the simple moral rules a person should follow when judging another’s effort?
15. Should the government set a clear standard for promoting realistic goals?
C2 Level – Proficiency
1. What is the true difference between a manufactured commitment and authentic desire for change?
2. Should we eliminate the system that allows for massive profit from self-help culture?
3. How does the idea of success change when all goals are digitally managed?
4. What laws are needed to prevent major corporate use of behavioral data for profit?
5. How do historical views of virtue, self-control, and discipline affect modern habits?
6. How can a society ensure that empathy is shown to people struggling with long-term change?
7. Do you think total transparency in goals would fix accountability problems?
8. What simple rules should guide people when they encounter complex behavioral science?
9. How can we stop people from using personal choice as an excuse for poor habits?
10. What did old thinkers say about self-improvement, time, and the good life?
11. What will happen to the need for human willpower if AI manages all goals?
12. How do people use the idea of “it’s too hard” to avoid discussing personal effort?
13. How does the experience of a major failure change a person’s view of commitment?
14. What is the power of a group to demand better public support for personal change?
15. If scientists could create a perfect, instant habit-changing device, what would happen?
