You Need a Theme, Not a Goal

CGP Grey has an excellent video on this exact kind of goal setting: [LINK] And another on New Year's resolutions more generally: [VIDEO]

Happy new year, HN. I'm a huge believer in CGP Grey's thematic year system ( [VIDEO] ) in place of resolutions. After outstanding successes two years in a row with the system (first year with my physical health, second year with my work and finances), I'm doing a "year of relationships" where my focus will be general social and romantic recoveries. Especially since, in the last two years, this is what has suffered the most for many including myself. I posted on Tildes about this, in fact: [LINK]

A similar idea that resonated with me is CGP Grey's suggestion to replace resolutions with themes: [VIDEO] Rather than set a lofty goal you're more likely to give up on (leaving you having accomplished nothing), simply look for ways in which you can do/be better than you were before.

I'm a huge fan of yearly themes, popularized by CGP Grey! [1] [VIDEO] [2] [LINK] My "year of trailblazing" was incredibly positive. Here's my recap: finally started antidepressants, became a dad, quit booze and cigarettes after ten years of attempts, conquered my internet addiction, started a popularish blog, biked from SF to LA, failed at starting a tech conference, botched a startup launch, read a ton of books, overcame chronic crippling anxiety [3] [LINK]

You can learn more about yearly themes from this excellent CGP Grey video: [1] [VIDEO] Here's my yearly theme log, which I started mid-2022: [2] [LINK] It's been a great experience!

Learning 12 skills in 12 months seems extreme to me, in particular, because a lot of skills take long to master. Instead, I prefer the "theme of a season" approach as espoused in this CGP Gray video: [VIDEO]

All of these present problems in different contexts Specific: This assumes that the picture you currently have of what you want is the thing you actually want. Do you want faster horse, a Model T, or swift reliable transportation of a form you've not yet imagined. Measurable: If you only value that which has a number, you'll lose sight of what truly matters in life because of the Streetlight Effect[1]. Consider the ridiculousness of the question "What NPS score would your children give you?" Attainable: There is a limit to the degree to which you can "be sure" of anything, especially without 2020 vision. Relevant: This requires really knowing what your values are so that you can practice the subtle art of not giving a fuck[2] about other things. Determining those can be hard emotionally-painful work, but in any context it is a good problem you want to have solved. Time Bound: Sometimes deadlines spur action, sometimes they paralyse or cause you to lose sleep. Sometimes, they are so far off in the future that you don't think about them until it is too late because you thought you could do them. If you're looking at a timescale longer than 6 weeks, consider instead that you might want a CGP-Grey style Theme: [VIDEO] [1] [LINK] [2] [LINK] Highly recommend this to anyone who spends lots of time thinking about personal goal-setting.

Happy New Year! I am in the same line as you, I don't have any "new year promises" but I will try to focus on my health: eating better and training more. This is discussed in a video I think is specially relevant today: [VIDEO]