A New Year’s Resolution Everyone Can Keep

Is it time to end New Year’s resolutions?

Historically, the?first recorded people?to set new year pledges (now called resolutions) were the ancient Babylonians approximately?4,000 years ago. They were also the first known civilization to hold recorded celebrations in honor of the new year.?

Fast forward to today. The ritual of making New Year resolutions is somewhat arbitrary. Indeed, we can reflect and set goals at any time. For many, however, the ringing of a new year signals a moment to reflect and start over. It’s natural to look back and think about how we can improve our lives in the new year, giving us hope to pursue our dreams and goals. As a result, the desire to make resolutions can be especially strong.

According to ABC News and World Report,?“80% of people lose their New Year's resolutions by mid-February.”?Other sources estimate that only 8% of people stick with their resolutions the entire year.

Setting big goals up front is like trying to lift a very heavyweight without any learning about what we can achieve. We often attempt to try to do too much, often with disastrous consequences.

My hypothesis is that it’s time to ditch this ancient ritual. We can all keep the resolution to end this practice. We can lose the guilt, the pressure, and setting ourselves up for failure, pain, and the agony of defeat.

But there is goodness to the fresh start effect —a date on the calendar that gives people a sense of a new beginning and motivates them to make a positive change, said?Katy Milkman, a professor at the Wharton University of Pennsylvania.

So, what to do instead?? James Clear, author of Atomic Habits says, “Forget about setting goals. Focus on your system instead.”

Every notice how the same NFL or MLB teams having winning records year after year? It’s because they have committed to a system that works. It’s not just the best talent that causes a team to win, it’s the ones that have the best systems and habits to continually improve and adapt.

Think about this, if you improve by 1% every day, you’ll end up 37X better by the end of the year. What starts as a small win, accumulates into something much more. Like the effect of compound interest.

Think Big, but take Small steps! With this approach you can achieve anything by creating tiny habits that make a big difference.

If you like to learn more about Atomic Habits, please listen to my podcast with Adam Mattis here: https://scaledagile.libsyn.com/atomic-habits. I also highly recommend Jame Clear's book on Atomic Habits.

I wish you a wonderful 2024 filled with happiness and joy!

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