Why you shouldn't take up a New Year Resolution

I hope you had a great 2013. This is the time of the year when the arrival of the New Year is looming large and people are planning their lives ahead. All this ultimately manifests itself into a frustrating concept called the ‘New Year resolution’. I don’t have the statistics to corroborate my conjecture but I am pretty sure that the best-laid plans fall apart and the resolution, which starts off by an ebullition of positive energy, loses steam and year after year, these resolutions aren't fulfilled.

IT'S THE JOURNEY NOT THE DESTINATION

What will happen if you ignored your goal (which you are trying to achieve through your resolution) completely and focused solely on the process of achieving it? Chances are that you will be happy, nay, anxiety-free while simultaneously fulfilling your ambitions.

 I want to lose 10 kg. I want to write a book. I want to learn a new language. It’s great that you are forming these goals. Goals are important; they bring a sense of purpose in life. But when you get obsessed about them, you are subliminally delaying happiness. I will lose my flab, then I will rest. Let me once get over with this book, then I will be happy. All these thoughts lead to dissatisfaction and take the enjoyment out of the work.

  So, try this. Suppose you want to lose weight during the course of the next year, and by the end of 2014, look slimmer and fitter than ever. Forget the numbers and devise a workout schedule to realize your dream of a lean-and-fit body. Be obsessed about sticking to your schedule and not missing a single workout.

THE SEINFELD STRATEGY

Regarded as one of the top 100 comedians of all time by comedy central, Jerry Seinfeld is one of the most successful comedians, writers and actors of his generation. He is the co-creator and co-writer of Seinfeld, widely regarded as the greatest sit-com of all time. Here is the Seinfeld strategy- get a big wall calendar that has the whole year on one page and hang it on a prominent wall. The next step is to get a big red magic marker. For each day that you adhere to your schedule and complete your designated tasks for the day, put a big red X over that day. After few days, you will have a chain. Just keep at it, and the chain will grow longer every day. Your only job is not to break the chain.

START BEFORE YOU ARE READY

 You will notice that Seinfeld does not say a thing about results. Actually, they don’t matter at all. All you have to do is turn up every day and start working. Inspiration and motivation are over-hyped parameters which do not feature in the equation. Start before you are ready. The problem with a thing like a New Year resolution is that we attempt to achieve something which is really out of our grasp. The only way around this is to follow your schedule come what may in order to gain the necessary skills. DON’T STICK TO YOUR GOALS. STICK TO YOUR SCHEDULE.

               

 I hope this little sermon of mine helps you put a step ahead en route to your goals. May God bless you with love, happiness and the fortitude to face the challenges that come knocking at your door. The writers of The Maverick Take wish you a very happy New Year!

P.S. : This post is largely inspired from James Clear’s blog. Here is the link-                                http://jamesclear.com/