Already a member?
Welcome to Brazen Careerist!
Emily Ma is using Brazen Careerist to share ideas. Join now to become a member and start networking with Emily Ma and other professionals just like you. Learn more.
Brazen careerist
Where ambitious young professionals connect and grow
Email
Print
First off, let’s be honest here. I’m usually hung over on January 1st. So whatever I want to ‘start’ doesn’t begin until January 2nd. But then January 2nd doesn’t feel like a good day because it’s my first day back to whatever it is I’m doing.
This year, January 2nd is on a Friday. Don’t know many people who’ve started worthwhile things on a Friday. Not a good excuse but it’s true.
So I wait. And before I ever started, my resolution has dissolved.
I don’t know many people that have actually followed through on a New Year’s resolution either. Do you? Have you ever?
Largely because most resolutions are simply wishes. Not goals. As we know, a wish is a goal without a plan of action.
But the real reason why most people never make good on their resolutions (or promises to themselves) is because we human beings constantly rationalize. That’s how we make sense of this chaotic and insane world. Thankfully, it’s innate otherwise we wouldn’t be able to function.
Every moment of every day, you’re telling yourself a story of what’s going on around you. Your boss, your friends, your job, your clients, your students and even this very blog post you’re reading!
Either you’re mentally nodding in agreement with what I’m saying (if it fits your world view or how you see things) or you’re shaking your head in disagreement (because this doesn’t fit your world view).
All day long, you’re telling yourself a story of your own actions and rationalizing it against your perceived self (which is your ego). For example, if you think you’re a very ambitious and motivated person then anything you do that doesn’t fit into ‘being ambitious and motivated’ like watching endless hours of TV, or procrastinating for days on something pressing then you’ll rationalize that.
“Well, I need a break! I don’t want to over work myself, etc., etc, etc!”
Maybe if you’re self aware and honest enough with yourself you’re able to see right through your own crap.
Or maybe not and you’re delusional. As I said in my post about ‘How to tell what someone really cares about’ some people believe that there is no relationship between what a person is and what a person does. This is bull secretion. Unless you are schizophrenic, you become your actions.
So what to do?
I think the only resolution you should make is to be brutally honest with yourself.
But of course, if you’re not, you’ll rationalize that too.
For more timely, relevant, and engaging articles,
subscribe to Brazen Careerist.
- Why You Might Be Better Off Without a Job After College
- The Anti-Stalker’s Guide for Converting Online Contact into Real World Collaboration
- A New Kind of Business Mover and Shaker
- Continuing Education: Extending Learning Beyond Your Campus Years
- How To Find a Writing Partner Who Can Help You Achieve Your Goals and Make More Money
Comments
12.24.08
"To suffer is to defend a false identity."
That is my all-time favorite quote. I believe we spend so much time trying to become who we're "supposed to be" that we often miss out on being ourselves. I know how to sell my BS quite well, but thankfully I'm wise enough to know not to buy into it.
Great post.
12.25.08
A great post! Indeed, New Year's resolutions are actually New Year's wishes. I'm myself am a big fan of making resolutions, small or big, throughout the year, not just on New Year's eve.
So much so that myself and two friends created http://www.pledgehammer.com on our free time. It provides an easy way to write resolutions down, have a concrete deadline and share with whoever you want to share them with. All this increases the chances of resolutions (or wishes, for that matter) becoming a reality. It also has a charitable 'flipside' to it - if your resolution doesn't stand Pledgehammer asks you to donate money to charity. So either way the world will be a little bit better.
Would love to hear some feedback to the application.
Got Something To Say?
Got Something To Say?
Not a Member? Brazen Careerist is a career management tool for next-generation professionals. Set up a free account today to comment on this post and start sharing your ideas. Learn more.
Login to view your networks!
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
