2017 Resolutions that will Stick
I have never made a serious New Years Resolution in my life. But after a friend asked me for my 2017 Resolution, I started thinking.
I started to think about all the ways I wanted to improve my life. On New Years Eve, I ended up coming up with >20 habits and goals that I wanted to achieve in 2017.
Which got me thinking… Why do I only get one New Years Resolutions? The likelihood of me sticking to any one thing for a full year is ~0%.
Why not have multiple New Years Resolutions?
Each month in 2017 I am planning to knock out one of my New Years Resolutions.
In 2017, I plan to become a better writer, expand my comfort zone, improve my sleep, become more mindful, become more productive, become more honest, and be healthier.
Here is what I did:
1. Set Lofty Goals
I want to be come healthier, happier, more productive, and push my comfort zone.
2. Set Specific Goals
Next, I made my lofty goals into specific ones.
3. Prioritize
I’ve focused on fitness in the past, so this year I decided I would focus elsewhere. I also got rid of some goals that I thought would be too hard to maintain (turning off phone).
4. Make Measurable
Next, I made all my goals measurable.
5. Contingency Plans
I’m an all-or-nothing person. I know if I make a small slip, I’m going to struggle to get back on the boat, so I started expanding my goals.
I opened up my goal of talking to strangers: Have a 5 minute conversation with 1 stranger to OR start a conversation with 3 strangers OR call up an old friend.
I made some of my goals more realistic: No screens before bed turned from 2 hours to 1 hour.
6. How Long and When?
7. Accountability and Commitment Devices Used
- Social Media — The more I tell people about my ideas, the more likely I am to follow through with them. I am planning to use Medium, Instagram, and Facebook to update people on my progress each month.
- Websites and Apps — There are a few different cool websites and apps that will help me stay accountable. 750words is an awesome site that encourages all its users to write 750 words for as many days in a row as possible. I also plan to use a sleep tracking app for March and a meditation app for April.
- Stickk.com — Stickk.com is a site that forces people to stick to their goals by making people donate money to an “anti-charity” (a charity the person hates) if they fail to reach their goals. Each week I do not achieve my goals, I will have to donate a set amount of money to Harvard (although Harvard isn’t horrible, I think donors could spend their money in better ways)
My 2017 goals
January — Write 750 words each day, and blog at least twice a week
February — Have a 5 minute conversation with 1 stranger or start a conversation with 3 strangers OR call someone I haven’t talked to in a long time
March — Do at least 4 Pomodoro cycles every day (as long as I have work) AND start out each day by writing down goals and end day by reflecting
April — Meditate every day for 15 minutes
May — No screens for 1 hours before bedtime + track and rate sleep every night
June — Don’t exaggerate or tell a lie
July — No Added Sugar (for first two weeks) no sugar at all (next two weeks)
All Year — Take a picture every day and post it on Instagram AND Write down one new thing learned every day
Please follow me here on Medium if you want to see my monthly progress!
