New Year’s resolutions seem to be the in thing right now, right? Everyone has crafted a bulletproof plan for 2021 that will get them from zero to hero in no time. It’s also the time that countries will slowly begin to ease lockdown restrictions as the vaccine draws near. So why not use this opportunity to shake off the lockdown habits and become a new and improved version of yourself, right? I get it, you’re excited to turn over a new leaf. We’ve all been there and done that. But how long after January first will you stick to the plan?
Well, what if I told you that making the plan is great, but sharing it isn’t? I’ll give you my reasons in a second, but first let that sink in.
Alright, here are my reasons why you shouldn’t be sharing your New Year’s resolutions.
New Year’s resolutions are a trend
We all know what a bandwagon is, right? Well with certain movements, hopping on the bandwagon may seem like such a great idea… until it isn’t. Setting goals for the new year is definitely a positive if you know that this is something you want to do for yourself. Unfortunately, many people decide to set unrealistic goals because that is what everyone else is doing. If you are planning on eating more veggies, exercising three times a week, and studying every day, great. But if you are setting those goals because other people are planning on doing that, or even mentioned it as an excuse to procrastinate, good luck sticking to it! The only question I have for you is, what happens when the trend is no longer popular?
You are the only one who should hold yourself accountable
Have you ever made a certain announcement because you hope that having it out there will keep you in line? I’ve done this quite a few times before, and it didn’t end well. The problem with announcing your action plan early is that you bring a lot of attention to yourself. That in itself doesn’t have to be bad, but if you falter at any point, the mistakes carry a much bigger weighting for a completely different reason. You see, when you fail yourself, you have to deal with how you feel about that. Now when you fail in the public eye, you also have to deal with what others will say or think of you. As a mental health advocate, I am quite against adding social pressure where unnecessary, so this is one thing I will repeatedly advise against.
New Year’s resolutions have a terrible success rate
Carrying on the theme from the previous point, we really need to think about the pros and cons of all resolutions. You know when people say that they will start a new exercise programme or eating plan on Monday, then miss that day and wait for the next week? Yeah, don’t be that guy. As you can probably tell, I am not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions in general! So to take away my own bias, here’s an article that shows you just how unsuccessful these yearly ‘Monday plans’ are.
Of course, there are many different reasons as to why certain people fail, and yes – everyone is different. The thing is though, a fail rate of roughly 80% is very hard to fabricate! That’s a very high number, so please don’t be the statistic. Just make the changes in private and let the results do the talking!
You don’t need to wait until the new year to make changes
Have you ever noticed that the most successful people are usually the ones that just act on their decisions? They never sit around waiting for a certain date to come, because their idea is that the change is for the better. If you are going to allow yourself a few more days of nonsense before you decide to fall in line, just how badly do you want the change? Don’t worry, I’m not lecturing anyone – I am actually giving myself a pep talk too! I came to the conclusion a few years back that the resolutions weren’t for me.
If you make yearly plans to look a certain way by summer, have you heard this quote before?
Summer bodies are made in autumn and winter
Anonymous
I find this quote to be extremely annoying but accurate. You shouldn’t wait for a certain date to become a healthier version of yourself, this should be maintained all year round! Lifestyle changes have to happen organically and with as little external influence as possible. The choices you make should be for you, not to please or impress a wider audience.
So there you have it, four reasons why you should not be sharing your New Year’s resolutions this year. I’m curious to hear your thoughts so please do share them. I hope you have a successful 2021!
Will you be making New Year’s resolutions this year?
In case you missed it, read my year-end letter to my Jan 1, 2020 self here.
When we tell others our grandiose plans, it tricks our brains into thinking that we have already accomplished something; we are more at risk for becoming lazy and never fulfilling these resolutions. It’s like getting a dopamine hit without putting in the effort.
There are some things that I will disclose, like challenges for instance. Studies show that disclosing something like a short-term challenge holds a person accountable because they don’t want to disappoint others, and thus they will feel pressure to follow through to the end. Personal goals/resolutions however, are best kept secret 🤫
You worded it perfectly! A dopamine hit without any effort. Of course there are the 20% who are successful, but I’ve personally found it to be a terrible decision for me.
Great post, and exactly why wait for the new year to come to make certain changes. If you really want to change you will act on it as soon as you can
Thanks for sharing your views! Of course, everyone has their own decision to make, but these are the reasons why I don’t personally make or share resolutions 😉
No resolutions here. Just goals. And I haven’t communicated them yet because I wanted to make sure they were things I will commit to. I have a post coming next week on that topic.
I’m all about goal setting. Although I set them for the year, they help me set smaller goals each month. So I may make a goal to explore 12 parks in 2021. Then, at the start of each month, I’ll look for an opportunity to weave in a trip so I can keep with my plan. Some months it just might not work out due to work commitments, kids’ schedules, or whatever….but I’ve still seen more parks than I would have without the goal. To me, that’s a win. I agree with your points that Jan 1 is arbitrary and that you should pick resolutions (or goals) that intrinsically motivate you. Finding the right goals is the real trick.
“New Year Resolutions have a terrible success rate”😂 I don’t set resolutions because it puts too much stress on me but I do set weekly and monthly goals😂
I really like this post, I hate make new year resolutions! It’s just so silly to decide to start something new in a new year, why not just do it. xx
I stopped making New Year resolutions several years back when I realized that they were futile, stressful, and sometimes paint one as undependable. I replaced them with annual and monthly goals.
They are, aren’t they? I hope you’ve been sticking to your goals despite all of the curveballs that have been thrown your way! Thanks for reading and welcome to GWS 😊
Yep! There’s always a workaround – I look for them. I have learned that an excuse not to fulfill one goal can and often will snowball to affect the goal, and others.