The latest study on New Year's resolutions from Harris Interactive finds that fewer people are making them, even though they're every bit as dissatisfied with their lives as in past years. More than one-third (39%) of U.S. adults say they made at least one New Year’s resolution for 2008, compared to 44 percent who did so for 2007 and 48 percent for 2006. Why are people utilizing resolutions less?
It's probably because, for most folks, resolutions don't work. According to Merriam-Webster, "resolution" is defined as:
1 : the act or process of resolving: as a : the act of analyzing a complex notion into simpler ones b : the act of answering : solving c : the act of determining
This main components of this definition simply elude people in practice. First, most people, when they make a resolution, don't analyze the notion of what they are trying to achieve at all. They simply state the goal that they wish they could have. They have no vision of what action steps it takes to get them from point A to point B. The resolution just sits on the horizon like a mirage.
Next, people making resolutions have a tendency to not activate their own determination. Just because you say you wish your life was different somehow doesn't mean you've made a choice to change your life. Making a real choice involves action, and expressing your determination through repeated action until you get the result you desire.
The spirit of New Year's resolutions is a good one, and it's sad to think that fewer people are making them because they don't come to fruition. The New Year's holiday provides each of us with a chance to reflect on the year that was, and think about how the year to come might be a better, more prosperous one. That's something that every person can benefit from.
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