New Year's Resolutions

Its getting real close to that time of year again, where we all pretend to perform some serious introspection and decide that we have no real issues other than superficial. We all decide we want to start going to the gym, but then give up after a month or so.

I had some thoughts about this - not so much about what my resolutions will be, more about how I think I should set them.

Holding myself to a SMART goal seems unreasonable given the context. The time span for a New Years resolution is far too long, and because of this I would set a goal that’s more difficult to achieve.

The goals never stick, because I’m gonna do what I want to. If the goal was fun and achievable I would be doing it already.

That’s why this year, I’m not setting goals - I’m setting a direction.

By direction, I mean something like “focus on health”. Its non-specific and un-measurable so that you won’t be disappointed if you don’t achieve it, but at the same time provides the same amount of motivation you would have early in the New Year.

Its a way of remembering and focusing on what was important to you at the time, and hopefully re-discovering that mindset that lead you to it. You can use it to inform decisions, and prioritise against other tasks in your day-to-day.

Write your direction on a sticky note and put it on your mirror, on the back of your front door, or at eye level by your toilet. For the non-psychopaths amongst us, try pinning it in your Notes app.