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No Resolutions

No Resolutions

Goals, Not Resolutions

Resolutions come in many forms, but I would argue that we should be focused on goals instead. These are more attainable because they target specific and concrete results, such as taking and passing a foreign language class, instead of abstract concepts such as being a nicer person for the year.

The problem with New Year’s resolutions is that, while a year is short, it can feel long and it can be difficult to measure your progress. When your resolution has something that is ambiguous at best to track – such as being a nicer person – it is even more difficult. Goals can be as long or short and as easy or difficult as you want and can apply to anything, even to un-measurable concepts.

The trick is to turn them into something that can be measured. Let’s go back to the “becoming a nicer person” example. Instead of making such a resolution for the entire year, we can make individual goals for a specific time period. Taking it month by month, our January goals could include the following:

  • I’ll give up my seat on public transportation for people in need when I see them.
  • I’ll pay a friend/colleague/family member a compliment at least once per week.
  • I’ll offer to do something I wouldn’t normally do that would help someone at least twice.
  • I’ll attentively and caringly listen to a friend’s problems at least once.
  • I’ll lend someone something if asked at least once, even if I wouldn’t normally do so.

If you achieve only one of these goals, I would argue that it is much better to achieve one goal during a month than to not achieve an abstract resolution over an entire year. Imagine how good you would feel at the end of the month if you achieved all five. Even if you didn’t achieve any of them, you still made an effort and could see how far along you were to achieving your goal. Only give up your seat on the train once? Make a new goal to do it twice next month.

In my experience, setting goals provides you with a way to actually implement change. Instead of vague resolutions, measurable goals allow you to see your progress over a specific time period. You can track this any way you want – in a notebook, a spreadsheet, text file, or by memory – and it is satisfying and encouraging to see the progress you make. This progress represents real steps taken towards the change you want, which is what New Year’s resolutions aspire, but often fail, to achieve.

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