Opinion New year, old you
Perhaps the way to see New Year’s resolutions isn’t the fact that they’re almost certainly doomed to fail, but that by making them we’re forced to critically evaluate our lives, and at least think about where improvement is necessary.
As long as one remembers while we’re alive there is no beginning and there is no ending, every effort is part of a long, mostly tedious journey to becoming yourself.
On January 1, the original iron man, Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a terse and deflating warning for the millions of people everywhere dreaming of making radical changes to their lifestyles in 2026. “Motivation doesn’t last. A routine does,” he advised, saying what anyone who’s ever tried a dramatic turnaround already knows. Willpower is a short-term fuel source, likely to run out sooner rather than later. Indeed, we’re barely a fortnight into January and already, determination for maximising output, whether at work or at workouts, is waning (the two frustrating issues that plague most of humanity). No worries, anyone struggling to stick to a plan may take solace in the statistical truth that 77% of New Year goals fail after just one week.
Bridget Jones announced her three-point grand plan best, puffing away at a cigarette with a wine in her hand: “I will quit smoking, drink less and, oh, and stick to my New Year’s resolution.” Jones embodies the human predicament perfectly, that there’s a vast, unbridgeable chasm between our desires and our reality — new year, new me, the symbolic fresh start that January evokes has to be scrupulously examined to understand the limitations of self-control. Personally, I believe we set too much store on specific dates to “begin again” (blame trending hashtags like #goals, or #reset, and relentless social media inflicted mania for self improvement). Any random Tuesday in February is as good a day as any to restart but typically, we swear to ourselves before January that this time will be different. Except, we’re exactly the same people we were on December 31.
Desperate for transformation, we forget that life happens; for even the most determined, the best laid plans fall apart when they clash with existing duties and responsibilities. The only way to ensure resolutions last is to not count on willpower, rather, arrange our lives in a way that makes it easier to make changes.
It’s far simpler to resist a cookie if it isn’t in the house just like one forgets about Instagram if the app isn’t on the phone. Similarly, the Alcoholics Anonymous acronym HALT cautions against getting too Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired, recognising it’s much harder to choose wisely when one is cranky. The chances of inner fortitude coming to one’s rescue are greater when our ambitions are reasonable; self control works much better with small, doable changes. Unfortunately, humans are obsessed about planning for the future. People on diets are already visualising how they’ll look in a particular outfit, ten kilos lighter. The problem with trying to figure out life before actually living it is, it’s inevitably demotivating to discover, progress never pans out the way one thinks it will. It’s a meandering route to clarity and definitely setbacks, like the occasional donut, are part and parcel of a weight-loss journey. Instead of cutting ourselves some slack for being human, we lose steam, crushed by the realisation that real change is incredibly hard.
Perhaps the way to see New Year’s resolutions isn’t the fact that they’re almost certainly doomed to fail, but that by making them we’re forced to critically evaluate our lives, and at least think about where improvement is necessary. Taking time to reflect on what we want to do and who we want to be is the first step to acknowledging our own imperfections. Or maybe, we’ll end up philosophically making peace with our inadequacies. Either way we’re better off. We’re trained to believe happiness is linked to personal achievement, and certainly striving gives one purpose and staves off boredom, if nothing else.So by all means, make that resolution. As long as one remembers while we’re alive there is no beginning and there is no ending, every effort is part of a long, mostly tedious journey to becoming yourself.
The writer is director, Hutkay Films
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