You need resolve, not resolutions<\/a> (a good point, actually)<\/p>\n January 1 is just another day<\/a>. (And another good point, irreverently made.)<\/p>\n And the New Age\/Oprah version … you’re just exactly right<\/a> as you already are. (Um … yeah, sure.)<\/p>\n Most of the advice is of the “most resolutions fail so why bother?” variety. No doubt the failure rate is huge because resolution makers think too big<\/a>, get sabotaged by somebody<\/a> in their life, or focus on the goals<\/a> without having any meaningful system for reaching them.<\/p>\n All true, all true. It’s common for goals to be either so vague there’s nothing realistically to work on (“I will be happier and more prosperous in 2016”) or so specific they’re doomed to defeat and self-recrimination (“I will lose 25 pounds by 6:00 p.m. on February 28 and I will not gain even one pound back for the rest of the year”).<\/p>\n Nevertheless, I’m all for ’em because I have personally found over the years that resolutions focus my mind — and focus my life on a certain direction. I discovered this years ago when I found an old list of resolutions that I’d made on my birthday (which is really a more sensible time for making them; after all, January 1 really isn’t anything special. It’s not even a solstice or an equinox or a blue moon). I hadn’t achieved most (if any) of the resolutions in the year I made them. And some of them were of the doomed, vague type; I recall that one was “I will become more articulate.” Nevertheless, over time my life had gone in exactly the direction they’d pointed. And I did become more articulate.<\/p>\n This January 1 I find myself (quite unintentionally, I assure you) in the New Age\/Oprah position. When it comes to the big things, as a person I’m either good as I am or as good as I’m likely to get. So my goals are small and specific. Mundane, really. But they’re still worth resolving (and approaching with resolve), just to focus the mind.<\/p>\n For instance this year I will:<\/p>\n 1. Economize on my monthly expenses<\/strong> in order to<\/p>\n 2. Pay off at least 3\/4 of the debt<\/strong> I incurred on house fixing, doctors, and car troubles in 2015 and <\/p>\n 3. Write 500 words a day<\/strong>, aside from any blogging, emailing, or article writing, at least five days a week.<\/p>\n The first two require a specific plan (being worked on as we speak) but are doable — baring the unforeseen — because I’m highly motivated by the fact that I freakin’ hate debt<\/i>. (And you dozen+ who donated can know that after tires for Old Blue the rest of your contributions will go toward this good cause.)<\/p>\n Number 3 is scary because I am not a systematic type when it comes to creative work. In the past resolutions like this one have led to exactly the “OMG, I always fail” outcome the anti-resolution people tsk tsk about. Worse, I have not yet figured out any system, discipline, or resolve that will ensure I follow through with this. Maybe this year will be another loser. Who knows? But it’s the direction I want to push in, and failing hasn’t killed me yet. So … onward.<\/p>\n What about you?<\/strong> I know we touch on this most every January. But … resolutions or not? And even if you don’t formally make resolutions, what are some of the things you want to accomplish this year?<\/p>\n Whatever you do, may you have a happy — and FREE — 2016!<\/strong><\/p>\n —–<\/p>\n Last call …<\/p>\n
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