Why New Years Resolutions Suck [For Some]

25 | Posted In Opinion by David

We all do it. We come to a new year with high hopes. We’re going to turn over a new year and take the world by storm – next year.

new_year_resolutions Then, the year goes by. Perhaps there was a momentary burst in activity in January. The obligatory visits to the gym. Maybe write a few more blog posts than usual. But then it settles back into the status quo.

Come December and – oh hum – life looks pretty much the same as it did last year. But, dammit, next year…. next year is going to ROCK! This time you mean it!

Sound familiar?

The First Problem – Timing

It is completely unnecessary to wait until the calendar year changes over to make changes and do productive things in your life. So, why wait?

Time is just a continuous stream of arbitrary nothingness. Seriously, time is really in the eye of the beholder. It is not a fixed quantity. And it keeps going. The fact that the calendar flips from December to January means nothing except for the significance we ourselves assign to it.

With that in mind, why wait? If you want to accomplish things in life, for God sakes, don’t put it off until “next year”. Start now!

The Second Problem – Ourselves

When we make resolutions, it is just more shiznit on top of a pile of last year’s shiznit.

* Yes, “Shiznit” is a word. Snoop Dogg said so. ;)

In other words, you made goals for yourself. Some of those goals may have failed, but they are still your goals. Here you come with a new year and more goals. Those new goals don’t overwrite the old goals. They just pile on. Yet, we know that those old goals failed. The new goals will probably fail too, right?

You know what we say about people who commit the same mistakes over and over again and expect different results, right?

That’s right – they’re crazy.

So, why do so many people do this every year?

Obviously, hoping isn’t enough. Something has to change.

In order to get something you’ve never had, you have to do something you’ve never done.

Most people are apathetic about New Years Resolutions because of their past failures. And for those people, new years resolutions kinda suck.

My viewpoint is that the answer to that is to change something. Do something you’ve never done. As Nike says, “Just Do It.”

The only person who can REALLY deny you something is yourself. Think about that for a moment. If somebody tells you you can’t do something, what power do they REALLY have? If you really think about it, you’ll find they have no power at all. The only power they have over you is that power you’ve GIVEN them.

So, don’t get reasonable. Take your power back. Do something different than you’ve ever done in order to get different results in 2010.

Next year, resolutions won’t suck. They’ll mean something.

Tomorrow, I’m going to share with you a practical strategy for goal accomplishment. This is something I want to share with you as we wrap up 2009 and head into a new year. So, I’ll see you tomorrow, right here on the blog. :)

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  • http://www.wakeupcloud.com/ Henri J

    I agree with you David. Man I just agree with everyone. Maybe it's a sign of me picking good blogs to read. I don't make new years resolutions, because I'm already on the path I want to be on.

    I'm going to rock 2010 completely. Most people set goals and intentions they don't really like, such as making more money or whatever. That's boring. Pick something you're passionate about, like starting a blog/business/website on a topic you love. So what if it fails? At least you'll have fun while doing it and learn something.

    Do it now! ;)

  • http://cheap-i-m-ebooks.blogspot.com/ Davor Gasparevic

    I've got several solutions for these problems

    1. I don't make any resolutions at all usually
    2. If I DO make a resolution, I make it something really achievable, something that won't require to spend immense amount of energy and time to accomplish
    3. I don't make NEW YEAR resolutions, I make ANYTIME resolutions on, let's say, 23 april that by the end of the year I will make it routine going to the gym 3 times a week and just doing something there instead of walking around and doing nothing

    So, far this kind of approach and strategy worked at least partly, I won't say I accomplished everything I intended this way, but at least I didn't fail in all my decisions.
    That way I don't pile things, some of them remain on the pile, but then I simply make a resolution about them again until I accomplish them too.

    Small steps – whole marathon over time.

  • powerofmore

    Well they say the definition of insanity is doing something over and over again while expecting a different result!

    Clearly that is not the way to achieve a successful end to your resolutions or any goal for that matter. Great advice David! I'll admit, I've fallen into that trap as well and yes it takes some effort to get out of your funk, but when you do the results are simply amazing!

  • http://www.orchidbox.it Orchid Box Italia

    It's incredibly easy to write things down, or even more so just make them in your head…I do it every year! Whether I keep to resolutions is another matter, but surely if they are positive changes and resolutions, if you keep to them for just a day it's better than nothing?

  • http://twitter.com/Shazzalive Sharron Field

    Dave's not just a pretty face is he! 'More like pretty wise.

    Time will happen; no matter what. As time ticks away, your life begins and ends. – It's just a microscopic event in a massive expanse of happening. What you do with your life will determine whether or not you make any impact in the continuous time-stream, whether your life is fulfilled or unfulfilled.

    It's going to happen anyway; so make it happen with lights, fireworks, and a legacy: Leave a mark that's going to make a better tomorrow.

  • http://www.blogpost.ezine4success.com Nezine

    Around this time of the year, people start talking about making resolutions. Yes it is true that usually they do not work. I feel that the reason why people talk about their own resolutions, is that they want to feel that they are going to start all over and remove the quilt of not doing it before. Its like “Ok, this time I WILL keep to it”.

    I do not make any resolutions, mainly because I plan what I have to do all the time so I kind of don't see the point of making a year plan. But keeping to the plan is something I need to work on so I am really looking forward to your strategy for goal accomplishment.

  • http://www.johnpaulaguiar.com John Paul

    We all set New Year's Resolutions and by Jan 7 we have all forgotten them,,lol

    This si the same for starting a diet and saying ” on monday I will start since it's first day or week” Instead why not start that min? Why put time on it when you can do it now, right now!

    You don't need a new year to start a diet, write more posts, look for a better job, etc…

  • Julie_BigGirlBombshell

    Nicely put. As posts on Resolutions dominate the blogsphere, I totally agree with our biggest obstacle is our SELF! My own posts on resolutions was more about connecting the dots. The dominate definition for resolutions has to do with pixels on a computer screen. I started my goals (Good Orderly Actions Leading to Success) back in August and September to be prepared when the ball drops!

  • http://www.babystepstofluency.com/ Fiona @ BSF

    I don't make new years resolutions. I make intentions – it really helps me stay on the right track.

    Most importantly, I don't wait till the new year. I start right away. My blog is an example, I was going to start it on the first – but decided, why put it off? So I started it right then and there.

    Putting it off just doesn't help.

  • http://erica.biz ericabiz

    <totally offtopic rant>

    “You know what we say about people who commit the same mistakes over and over again and expect different results, right?

    That’s right – they’re crazy.”

    Will someone please get this memo to Barack Obama?

    John Maynard Keynes was WRONG! Qualitative easing doesn't work!

    It didn't work in the 1930s, it didn't work in the 1990s when Japan tried it, and it won't work today.

    Our government still hasn't gotten that memo. We're still trying the same strategies that haven't ever worked, and running up a huge deficit while doing so.

    </totally offtopic rant>

  • http://www.jamieflinchbaugh.com Jamie Flinchbaugh

    Great points. People only think about what they want. They don’t think about HOW to get there or WHAT MIGHT GET IN THE WAY, including themselves. People need to be thinking about what skills they need, what barriers they face, and even what help they need to get in working on their goals / resolutions.

    I expand upon that on my blog post from today here: http://jamieflinchbaugh.com/2009/12/forget-the-new-years-resolution/

  • http://www.DonnyGamble.com Donny Gamble

    I never make New Years resolutions
    either because I believe in making new
    goals throughout the entire year. If you make
    just one goal, it will be hard for you to
    accomplish it because you will have too many
    distractions

  • http://subject2.com Nick Johnson

    David, I've recently found your blog through Beyond Blogging and I must say, I really love your blog!

    I certainly agree with you on resolutions. I've always said those that make resolutions for the new year are simply lying to themselves and they're never going to stick. If someone wants to 'quit smoking' or start blogging, don't wait, grab your marbles and just do it.

  • http://bisnisbloggerku.blogspot.com blog buat bisnis

    Artikelnya menarik sekali, tentunya akan membawa banyak manfaat kepada kita semua yang membacannya.
    Oh ya sekalian deh mau ngucapin “selamat tahun baru 2010″ yach buat anda semua pengunjung blog ini, semoga mendapatkan banyak rejeki dan sukses selalu karir ngeblognya.
    Salam sukses ber-bisnis internet dari Blog Buat Bisnis. Segera mantapkan langkah anda di tahun baru ini dan songsonglah masa depan yang lebih baik, anda pasti bisa..!!

    Yuk mampir ke blog saya untuk mendapatkan kenang-kenangan akhir tahun.

  • http://www.home123.com/ Home Loans

    New year has been started, Even I haven't made any resolution yet, But I wish this year and the coming years of my life should be the happiest years.

  • millipo10

    Here is this guy who really takes care of his body; he lifts weights and jogs five miles every day.

    One morning, he looks into the mirror and admires his body. He notices that he is really sun tanned all over except one part and he decides to do something about it.

    He goes to the beach, completely undresses and buries himself in the dand except for the one part sticking out.

    Two little old ladies are strolling along the beach and one looks down and says, “There really is no justice in this world.”

    The other little old lady says, “What do you mean?”

    The first little old lady says, “Look at that.”

    “When I was 10 years old, I was afraid of it.”

    “When I was 20 years old, I was curious about it.”

    “When I was 30 years old, I enjoyed it.”

    “When I was 40 years old, I asked for it.”

    “When I was 50 years old, I paid for it.”

    “When I was 60 years old, I prayed for it.”

    “When I was 70 years old, I forgot about it.”

    “And now that I'm 80, the damned things are growing wild!!”

    Have a nice day
    White
    ______________________________________________
    Photo to Painting | Photo on Canvas | Picture to Painting

  • millipo11

    This guy goes to a doctor and says he has a problem with sex.

    “Doc, I think my dick is just too damn small,” he says.

    The doctor asks him which drink he prefers.

    Well, American beer,” he replies quite bemused.

    “Aaaahhh. There's your problem, it shrinks things, those silly American beers.. you should try drinking Guinness.

    That makes things grow.”

    Two months later the chap returns to the doctor with a big smile on his face.

    He shakes the doctor by the hand and thanks him.

    “I take it you now drink Guinness?” asked the doctor.

    “Oh no, Doc,” replies the man, “but I've got the wife on American beer!”

    respect
    Sikora
    ______________________________________________
    debt settlement help | debt management group | credit card debt elimination

  • millipo12

    I knew a blonde that was so stupid that…….

    * she called me to get my phone number.

    * she spent 20 minutes looking at the orange juice box because it said “concentrate.”

    * she put lipstick on her forehead because she wanted to make up her mind.

    *she tried to put M&M's in alphabetical order.

    *she sent me a fax with a stamp on it.

    *she tried to drown a fish.

    *she thought a quarterback was a refund.

    *she got locked in a grocery store and starved to death.

    *she tripped over a cordless phone.

    *she took a ruler to bed to see how long she slept.

    *she asked for a price check at the Dollar Store.

    *she studied for a blood test.

    *she thought Meow Mix was a CD for cats.

    *when she heard that 90% of all crimes occur around the home, she moved.

    *when she missed the 44 bus, she took the 22 bus twice instead.

    *when she took you to the airport and saw a sign that said “Airport Left” she turned around and went home

    regards
    Davis
    ______________________________________________
    recycled plastic outdoor furniture | Polywood | Poly-wood

  • http://www.blogpost.ezine4success.com Nezine

    You are right. There is no point in delaying something what you can right away. This also inspires us. Delaying it will only make lazy.

  • Carla Solori

    I'm a little bit older, a little bit whiter, a little bit like an easy saver, a little bit rounder, but still none the wiser.

  • millipo12

    This guy goes to a doctor and says he has a problem with sex.

    “Doc, I think my dick is just too damn small,” he says.

    The doctor asks him which drink he prefers.

    Well, American beer,” he replies quite bemused.

    “Aaaahhh. There's your problem, it shrinks things, those silly American beers.. you should try drinking Guinness.

    That makes things grow.”

    Two months later the chap returns to the doctor with a big smile on his face.

    He shakes the doctor by the hand and thanks him.

    “I take it you now drink Guinness?” asked the doctor.

    “Oh no, Doc,” replies the man, “but I've got the wife on American beer!”

    respect
    Hudson
    ______________________________________________
    pet stroller | pet gear stroller | pet gear stroller

  • millipo12

    I was just having a conversation with someone who is about to buy a Mac.

    I was against it and an argument started.

    I said there were too few people supporting the Mac.

    He responded, “When was the last time you heard of a virus on a Mac?”

    And I said “See, even people who write viruses don't support Macs.”

    respect
    Crosby
    ______________________________________________
    pet car seats | car seat for dogs | dog car seats

  • http://www.webtrafficroi.com/ ZK @ Web Marketing Blog

    Yes I also set the goals and resolution secretly and than divide them according to months and weeks. I just want to make them as much as practical so that they can be achieved.

    At the end of every week I sit and judge my position and and at the end of every month I monitor closely where I am.

    Believe me guys if you will do it in same fashion than you will be able to get more success.

  • http://www.webtrafficroi.com/ ZK @ Web Marketing Blog

    Yes I also set the goals and resolution secretly and than divide them according to months and weeks. I just want to make them as much as practical so that they can be achieved.

    At the end of every week I sit and judge my position and and at the end of every month I monitor closely where I am.

    Believe me guys if you will do it in same fashion than you will be able to get more success.

  • http://www.seogeorgetown.com/ pablodenzel

    excellent , its just ourselves who don’t follow the resolutions ,otherwise it won’t suck.