A New Year’s Dilemma: Resolutions vs. Goals
…3! …2! …1! Happy New Year!!
That’s right! It’s January and that means the start of a new year.
January 1st always seems to be associated with new beginnings, starting over, and resolutions.
While I wholeheartedly believe in new beginnings and starting over, I do not believe it needs to happen on January 1st. Every month, day, even every minute is a chance to begin again. You shouldn’t need a national holiday to tell you when it’s ok to make a change or start something new.
Then, there’s that dreaded “R” word—resolutions.
Why are New Year’s resolutions a thing?
According to history.com, the tradition of creating resolutions at the beginning of a new year can be traced back about 4,000 years to Babylonian culture.
While it’s fascinating to think that a tradition from another culture in ancient times has managed to stick around for so long, it doesn’t mean we still have to do it. I mean, there are a lot of traditions from our history that we don’t still do—and usually for a very good reason.
Many people still try to set resolutions at the beginning of the new year. In fact, a study done in 2020 found that almost half of Americans had plans to create resolutions for the new year.
Unfortunately, it’s also common for very few people to stick to their resolutions. That same study found that 55% of the people who set resolutions had abandoned them in less than a year, and over half of those people had quit before even getting halfway through the year.
Ditch the resolution for something different
Maybe, instead of continually doing something year after year that is known to have a high failure rate, you could try something different. I suggest you try setting a goal instead.
But Nikki, isn’t that the same thing?
Honestly, it’s really all about their meaning and how you approach it.
Resolutions vs. Goals
Resolutions are defined as "a firm decision to do or not to do something".
vs.
Goals are defined as "the end result toward which effort is directed".
A resolution describes what the finish line looks like and somehow, without a plan, you’re just supposed to end up there. It also doesn't allow for detours or stops.
vs.
A goal explores the finish line, but expects there is a process that you'll have to work through to get to that finish line.
A resolution’s result is Pass or Fail.
vs.
Goals give you room to explore options, move the finish line, redefine what the finish line looks like, and even include multiple finish lines until you ultimately get to the end goal.
I don't know about you, but when resolutions and goals are broken down like that, it seems like resolutions don’t allow much room for grace and understanding, but there’s plenty of room for shame and guilt.
Goals seem to imply that there should be a plan of action for achieving that goal.
This is really important: If you know your destination, but you don't know how to get there, you are going to get lost.
Below I shared a few more resources from Taking Control: The ADHD Podcast where Pete and I discuss goal-setting and how anyone can reach their goals in a positive and healthy way. As you can see, this has been a popular topic for The ADHD Podcast over the years…
Ep 2602: A 'New' New Year's Resolution
Ep 415: Creating Realistic Goals
Ep 325: Goal-Setting for the New Year
Ep 233: Creating a Vision for Yourself
Thank you for your time and attention,
-Nikki
