No Resolutions for Me
I love the concept of a new year and a fresh start. And I love the idea of self-improvement: I want to "be healthier" and "write more." But in practicality, these types of vague goals don't work out so well. Studies show that 80% of people give up on their resolutions by the second Friday in January (otherwise known as Quitters Day.)
But how else can we create meaningful change, if not over midnight champagne?
First, reflect on last year's accomplishments. What did you get right in 2022? (See Why You Should Ditch Depressing New Year's Resolutions and Do This Instead for further motivation.) Celebrate those successes!
Second, plan shorter term goals instead of heavy-handed resolutions. Quarterly planning works well for me, and based on productivity expert Laura Vanderkam's advice, I focus on three areas: professional, family, and personal. I began this process in 2022 and found that three months is a long enough time to achieve significant goals and habit change. Bonus: it also allows for multiple areas of focus throughout the year, which is satisfying and more adaptible.
First, reflect on last year's accomplishments. What did you get right in 2022? (See Why You Should Ditch Depressing New Year's Resolutions and Do This Instead for further motivation.) Celebrate those successes!
Second, plan shorter term goals instead of heavy-handed resolutions. Quarterly planning works well for me, and based on productivity expert Laura Vanderkam's advice, I focus on three areas: professional, family, and personal. I began this process in 2022 and found that three months is a long enough time to achieve significant goals and habit change. Bonus: it also allows for multiple areas of focus throughout the year, which is satisfying and more adaptible.
Third, consider NOT publicly mentioning your goals. While accountability can be helpful, especially if the goals are specific and measurable, announcing them can sometimes backfire. In The Case for Keeping Your Goals to Yourself, Vanderkam explains, "Announcing that you’re writing a screenplay, for example, is already a positive indicator of your screenwriter status. No need to spend an hour today actually writing." (Positive indicator in this instance means you feel fulfilled positively about the identity as a writer after talking about it.) "Or, in the case of the psychology students," she explains, referring to a published study, "talking about studying to become a psychologist can sap away the motivation to actually do the studying."
Obviously, individual results can vary. But if you find that proclaiming your goals decreases your motivation, try keeping them under wraps.
Obviously, individual results can vary. But if you find that proclaiming your goals decreases your motivation, try keeping them under wraps.
IWSG Blog Hop
 | Every month, the Insecure Writers Support Group hosts a blog hop with an optional question. Special thanks to Alex Cavanaugh and to this month’s co-hosts, Jemima Pett, Debs Carey, Kim Lajevardi, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and T. Powell Coltrin. |
Question of the month:
Do you have a word of the year? Is there one word that sums up what you need to work on or change in the coming year?
Do you have a word of the year? Is there one word that sums up what you need to work on or change in the coming year?
I like to come up with a word or phrase for each week, depending on my focus for that time. For the year, my broad concept is "forward motion," which sums up the incremental steps I hope to achieve.
Ring In The True!
Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Alfred Lord Tennyson from "Ring Out, Wild Bells"
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.
Alfred Lord Tennyson from "Ring Out, Wild Bells"
Happy New Year! I hope 2023 is joyously productive.
ICYMI, if increased creative productivity is one of your goals,
check out my round-up of last year's blog posts.
Here's to ringing in the true!
ICYMI, if increased creative productivity is one of your goals,
check out my round-up of last year's blog posts.
Here's to ringing in the true!
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