Philosopher Alain de Botton’s School of Life has a chapter on making New Year resolutions. They say it is important to make these resolution to improve ourselves as human beings but we need to be empathetic with ourselves. Hence, we should not be aiming to write good New Year resolutions but just good enough New Year resolutions.
You can read about good enough New Year resolutions on the School of Life website here.
Their newsletter had a three step process on writing on these resolutions which I did not find on their website. Hence, putting it here for reference:
First, write your list of resolutions in the usual way.
1. I will quit drinking
2. I will learn the guitar
3. I will get a 5k pay rise at work
Next, rather than thinking about the end result, try to distil the motivating value that lies behind them.
1. Prioritising my health
2. Making time for creative pursuits
3. Gaining recognition for my efforts at work
Finally, working solely from this value, applying a little strategic pessimism, set yourself a less lofty, more achievable goal to strive for.
1. I will aim not to drink 1 night each week
2. I will set aside 15 minutes every other day to do something creative
3. I will try to demonstrate added value in my work
Hope that helps you make good (enough) resolutions this New Year.
Parallel Spirals 