It's Almost 2021: Resolutions, Goals, Intentions and All That Rot!

Chapter 1: Resolutions

I'm not sure who invented "New Year's Resolutions," but I'm pretty sure it must have involved drugs and alcohol, because they are among the most useless ways we humans can possibly plot our paths forward.

Where do you want your path to take you?

Let's face it, most New Year's Resolutions are made while people are drunk at an office or New Year's Eve party and are being egged on to participate in a contest of over-reaching and over-ambition.

Aside from that, most resolutions are vague as hell and stand no chance of objectively succeeding.

"This year, I resolve to get in shape and eat more healthy foods!"

What the Eff does that even mean, when it's at home?

In case you have picked up on my "not-a-fan" vibe, I'll state for the record that it has been at least twenty years since I last made a "New Year's Resolution."

Standing stones and sun

Chapter 2: Goal Setting

Goal setting is pretty cool, I suppose... but other than for financial statement and tax purposes I'm not entirely sure why we should necessarily use calendar years to set goals.

I personally prefer to set goals when it makes sense to set goals. Saving your goal setting for the turn of a new year is a bit like thinking that Valentine's Day is the only day you need to think about love.

The other thing about goal setting is that — except for the MOST eager beavers — most goals are set with an air of some disconnect from reality.

Yes, those are actually chives... blooming

Chapter 3: The Thing About Calendars

Again, I can only speak from personal experience, but the thing about plugging goals and resolutions into calendars is that it tends to restrict and confine our creativity in ways that do not necessarily serve our highest and best good.

Take, for example, a popular ambition like "getting in shape."

Frankly, most people are far more likely to get in shape when it's late spring or summer, and the days are longer and it's nice outside. As far as actually succeeding at getting in shape, remember that it's all about building a new habit. So resolving to start when it is dark, and dreary, and wet, and miserable and cold... you're already starting behind the starting line.

That's just an example.

Neolithic stone circle in the woods

Chapter 4: Intentions

I do like to review where I am, and to develop some sort of plan, and then examining my intentions.

However, I tend to make it objective specific rather than time specific.

For example, one of my goals and intentions for 2021 is to get up past 10,000 Hive Power, purely through content creation and engagement.

Based on current conditions, it is an eminently achievable goal, and I intend to get there through some combination of writing and curation that results in my adding about 250HP a month, and takes into account that economic conditions may be such that I — realistically speaking — may have to pull out my liquid rewards to use towards living expenses.

If I get there on December 31st, 2021, it's a success. If I somehow get there by August 17th (arbitrary date) it's also a success.

Swan, Denmark

Chapter 5: What ARE Your Intentions?

For me, Intention Setting is a very deliberate and reality-based process that involves taking stock, then setting an achievable goal, then outlining what is necessary on an ongoing basis to reach it, and finally examining the question honestly of "Knowing myself, will I ACTUALLY be able to do that?"

Part of the process also involves a bit of soul-searching to fully understand why I intend to do something.

WHY are you losing weight; WHY are you getting in shape; WHY are you becoming more spiritual; WHY are you setting a particular intention?

My point here is that most endeavors we undertake in life are unlikely to succeed long term unless we are doing them primarily for ourselves. As some wise person once observed: "Change comes from within."

House in the woods

Chapter 6: We're All Different!

I will hasten to add that different people find their motivation in their own ways.

Some people work really well with strict schedules and tight deadlines and "the fear of shame and failure" as motivational tools.

I don't happen to be one of them. I'm more of a go where the flow takes me type of person. Consequently, my working towards my intentions may include periods of frantic activity followed by periods of slacking off.

Because of my erratic working style, I tend to have multiple long-term intentions working in parallel, but I always keep track of my ending objectives and the "percentage completed."

Wild rose

Aside from that, I leave it all pretty loose. After all, when I do set these goals/intentions it's because I sincerely want to accomplish something, not because I am trying to fill my days with "activity."

Thanks for reading, and I wish you a happy and successful 2021!

How about YOU? Any resolutions/goals/intentions for 2021? How likely are you to succeed? Are your goals realistic, or just hopeful flights of fancy? Comments, feedback and other interaction is invited and welcomed! Because — after all — SOCIAL content is about interacting, right? Leave a comment — share your experiences — be part of the conversation!

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Created at 20201231 16:17 PST
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