New Year Resolutions for 2017
Fun ‘Fact’ 1: people who make New Year resolutions are more likely to make three resolutions than two.
Since I have no source, discussing the influences that underlie this pattern is rhetorical at best. Here’s a fun fact for which I do have a source:
Fun Fact 2: Millenials make more NY resolutions than other age groups.
I fall into a strange age category this year, almost exactly halfway between 34 and 35; apparently, I am a young Gen Xer and an old Millenial.
Fun Fact 3: Women make [slightly] more resolutions than men.
Let’s talk resolutions, then. How many did you make, and in which general categories do they fall?
Of those who chose to make NYRs, ~24% of people make two to three resolutions. 21% make more than four. ~42% of Amercians flat out refuse to make NYRs.
That last one surprised me; I had assumed that declaring resolutions was a common social ritual. Tha’ fuck do I know, right?
I like making resolutions: I’m a planner, and I don’t mind failing at goals. When I was younger, I’d stick to a single NYR. But for the past decade I’ve taken to adopting three.
“Do they ever work out for you?”
Sometimes. This site outlines several strategies for making more effective NYRs. You probably know most of them already; this set of NYR tips were widely published in the 90’s and early Aughts.
“I don’t remember reading that, Jessi.”
They were published in a widely-read book called “Lessons From Cognitive-Behavioral Psychology”. No, that wasn’t it. “Strategies of Highly Successful People”? …Nope. “Scott Adams waxes philosophically in the last chapter of ‘The Dilbert Future’”?
Hold on; I know this one.
“The Secret”.
There it is. Yes, in the late 90’s, “The Secret” claimed that it had discovered the strategy to achieve all of your dreams an aspirations. “But Jessi: I didn’t read ‘The Secret’!”
I’ll summarize it for you: Stay focused on your goals.
“That can’t be it, Jessi! That sounds like common sense!”
Your words. Have you ever wondered why it seems like no one has any common sense? (A) You aren’t defining it properly. Turns out most people have common sense—as far as evolutionary psychology goes. Let’s take a trip back 30,000 years. Do you know not to try to poke a sleeping bear? Check. Do you know that climbing up really high could lead to injury if you’re not careful? Check. See? You have common sense.
(B) Misinformation. It’s been a big issue in the ‘news’: misinformation was virulent during the 2016 US Presidential election. People love spreading misinformation. One guy claimed that he thought he was doing a public service by creating a fake news website. He stated that people would recognize the fallacious nature of his website’s ‘news’, and would be reminded that we should verify everything we read and watch.
Cat manure. Modern people have no common sense because at least half of ‘common sense’ is a flat-out lie. This ‘statistic’ brought to you by the same woman who writes about alien mutant robot tentacle dream sex. You’re welcome.
“Jessi: do you stay focused on your resolutions?”
As I get older, yes. But experience has taught me well; as the years pass, my NYRs become (1) more realistic, (2) more concrete, and (3) segmented with a series of step-wise goals. It’s like project planning in a large business: who needs what, when; what will be finished, by whom; if set-backs occur, which step of the project could suffer them most efficiently?
My NYRs for 2017:
(1) Put out a f#$%ing DMCD book! Sub-goals: suck less at visual art; dedicate particular time in my 2017 schedule for nothing but DMCD pictures and editing.
(2) Have a game ready for publication by July 2017, such that I can finish another game by Dec 2017, such that I can port both to mobile platforms in 2018. “What games, Jessi?” No peeking.
(3) Exercise more frequently.
“Jessi! Number 3 isn’t specific enough!”
Good eye. Let’s change it:
(3) Embrace social media more effectively.
“That’s not much better!”
Ugh. Fine:
(3) Commit to at least one Announcement + social media post per week.
Happy?
I need more tea. :P