My Thoughts on Resolutions and My New Year's Goals
Janauary 5th, 2024
As we step into 2024, resolutions have come to the forefront of my social media feeds. In the past, I experimented with numerous resolutions, and I found myself regrettably classified among the unsuccessful. I’ve learned that making grand resolutions rarely leads to any successful behavior changes. Now, I choose to focus on small, attainable goals because I am far more successful with that.
However, this learning curve came from some realizations.
I think we tend to use resolutions and goals interchangeably, but they are actually quite different. Goals are definable, measurable, and have a clear end mark (Differences Between Goals and Resolutions, 2021). Resolutions tend to be broad and abstract ideals without any firm plans (Gourguechon, 2019). Neither are inherently bad or good. People need both to be successful. You need resolve to accomplish goals, and goals to provide direction for one’s resolutions.
However, when I examine the resolutions typically made at New Year's, I notice that they are often superficial (Choi, 2007). People set out to make drastic changes in their lives without any true inner drive to carry out these changes (Choi, 2007). For example, striving for improved physical health is a great idea, but pursuing it solely for the sake of a shallow reason or lacking a solid workout plan will ultimately lead to failure.
As a screenwriter, I talk about intrinsic motivation a lot. Good character is driven by internal motivations far more than external ones. A good example of this is Mulan from Mulan (1998). While her external reason for joining the military was to protect her family, her intrinsic motivation drove her to succeed in her role there. She wanted to bring honor to her family and find her own place in the world. There is nothing more powerful than a strong internal motivation. And, it is easy for you to connect with others who feel the same way, thereby generating a community to keep you accountable.
Another flawed philosophy of resolutions comes from people attempting to do things inherently unnatural to them. Charles Bukowski’s philosophy holds a lot of water for this ideal. His most famous quote, “Don’t try,” is typically taken with a nihilistic tone. Most perceive it as a reason to give up. However, the quote actually advocated for individuals to find activities that are intuitive to them rather than doing things that feel forced (Pursuit of Wonder, 2020). Bukowski encourages individuals to embrace their natural inclinations. He wrote because writing felt like a natural expression for him. Pursuing goals aligned with one's innate tendencies takes the effort out of a strenuous endeavor, instead turning into a fun adventure.
Moreover, setting unattainable and unnatural goals can lead to frustration and failure. Much like what firearm instructors teach students, "aim small, miss small," setting small, achievable goals is key to success (Business Insider, 2022). Aim for something doable, and progress will follow steadily. Missing small is less stressful than missing big and feeling like a failure.
So, when it comes time to craft goals for the new year, remember some important aspects: resolutions are the broad ideals you want, goals are the plan to make it happen, intrinsic motivation is important, and focus on small, attainable milestones.
My personal goal this year is to prioritize my needs, focusing on what brings happiness and purpose to my life, irrespective of others' opinions.
To refine this goal, I've established a framework:
Purposeful Pursuits:
Seek positive experiences, be it joyful events or challenges fostering personal growth.
Guarding Self-Interests:
Focus on values like confidence, empathy, and success.
Cultivate confidence by working independently and realizing my capabilities.
Practice empathy by displaying kindness and collaborating with others.
Define success beyond financial or external achievements
Emphasize emotional well-being and nurturing meaningful relationships.
Navigating Challenges:
Acknowledge the freedom to make mistakes.
Recognize the complexity of decisions, allowing myself the space to say 'no' or 'yes' as needed.
By incorporating these principles, I aim to focus on genuine fulfillment and personal growth. Hopefully, by the end of this year, I can tell you about how successful or unsuccessful I was with this goal.
Always Busy,
Sam
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