Many people use the time between Christmas and New Year for intensive self-reflection and to set resolutions and goals for the year ahead. Yesterday, I asked friends and acquaintances whether they make New Year's resolutions. 79% said yes, while 21% said no. I belong to the 79%. I've been setting resolutions for many years and consider them important for staying focused and allocating my resources. But does this make me blind to other opportunities along the way, or put unnecessary pressure on myself? How much do I «sacrifice» in pursuit of goals worth striving for? These are fascinating, philosophical questions that I'll explore in this blog post.
The benefits of resolutions? Focus and direction.
My first question was: What are the benefits of making resolutions, and why do so many people set them at the beginning of a new year? Here are a few that come to mind:
A fresh start: The turn of the year offers a symbolic opportunity for a fresh start. Many of us use this moment to make positive changes in our lives and motivate ourselves to move forward. As one calendar year ends and another begins, we leave behind what we no longer want and focus on what we do want.
Personal growth: New Year's resolutions are often driven by a desire for personal development and self-improvement. This can lead to positive changes in our lifestyle, health and other areas of life.
Goal-setting and focus: Resolutions help us define clear goals for the year ahead. This can support better decision-making and help us allocate our resources more effectively.
I make use of all these benefits myself. I've been setting resolutions for many years. Mine take the form of a visual vision, a list of concrete goals for the year ahead and a guiding principle or motto. I carry them with me at all times, partly because I still rarely leave the house without my journal. I've also got into the habit of documenting my goals in OneNote, so they're always accessible, even when I've moved on to a new journal.
And then something interesting happens: I forget about my goals, at least consciously. Only to realise a few months later that I've achieved them much faster than I thought possible. The same happens to friends and clients. They're often amazed at how quickly they achieve goals and fulfil resolutions that seemed incredibly challenging just a short while earlier.
This is how we benefit from the focus and sense of direction that resolutions provide. The countless decisions we make every day become aligned with our intentions and goals.
The downsides of resolutions? Setbacks, pressure and a lack of flexibility.
But one question remains: What might I be missing with my highly structured, focused approach? Am I still flexible enough to respond to life, recognise unexpected opportunities, adjust my goals or even abandon them altogether? I've observed some of these potential downsides in myself and in people around me:
Unrealistic or vague expectations: Sometimes we set ourselves goals that are too ambitious and difficult to achieve. This can lead to disappointment and frustration. Equally, resolutions that are too broad or poorly defined can leave us feeling vaguely unsettled.
Pressure and stress: The pressure to fulfil our resolutions can create stress. This can be counterproductive and ultimately lead us to abandon our goals.
Waiting for the right moment to change: The idea that change should happen only at certain times of the year can cause us to miss opportunities to make positive changes as soon as we recognise the need for them.
I've experienced all of these. Yet my overarching question remains unanswered: What does my focus cost me? As a psychologist, my next step is to look for answers in neurophysiology.
Resolutions from a neurophysiological perspective? Dopamine rewards or ego depletion.
From neurophysiology, I know that setting and achieving goals, as we do when pursuing resolutions, can activate the brain's reward system. The release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward, can be motivating and strengthen our drive to achieve the goals we've set ourselves.
One particularly interesting concept here is neuroplasticity: the brain's ability to change in response to experience. Setting resolutions and consistently acting on them can help create new neural connections and reinforce positive behaviours. Just as we build muscle when we go to the gym, we can also strengthen our neural pathways through practice.
Achieving personal goals can also reduce stress levels and support greater emotional well-being. Conversely, excessive pressure, whether caused by unrealistic New Year's resolutions or the frustration of not achieving them, can trigger the release of the stress hormone cortisol.
Pursuing resolutions also requires willpower, which is a limited resource.
After a period of intense exertion of willpower, we may experience «ego depletion», a concept describing the temporary exhaustion of our capacity for self-control and willpower.
Once again, I haven't found a definitive answer. But looking at the role of hormones has made me realise how important balance is: finding the right level of motivation without putting ourselves under too much pressure. So I turned to a few philosophical principles to help me weigh up the benefits and costs of making resolutions.
The golden mean? Focus on what you can control and stay mindful of the present.
I found some answers in Stoicism. Stoic philosophy emphasises our ability to control how we respond to external circumstances. Stoics argue that we should focus on what lies within our control while remaining flexible and composed in the face of life's uncertainties. This could mean committing to certain goals while also developing the ability to adapt when circumstances change.
Existentialists such as Jean-Paul Sartre, whom I reluctantly had to read during my secondary school years, emphasise individual freedom and responsibility. The idea that life has no predetermined meaning and that we must shape our own existence could suggest that focusing too rigidly on predefined goals limits our freedom. Or perhaps the opposite is true: that we should actively shape our lives, including by setting resolutions.
Zen philosophy, on the other hand, teaches mindfulness and the importance of living in the present moment. Too much focus on future goals can distract us from the here and now. Zen Buddhists might therefore argue that while setting goals is perfectly valid, we should remain present in the moment to experience the fullness of life.
Control and mindfulness at the same time: a contradiction? No. They are complementary forces, and perhaps the art of living lies in finding the balance between them.
What matters to you and how you choose to shape your life are determined by your values.
The conclusion? Let your values guide your resolutions.
How much focus is useful when setting resolutions, and what price do we pay for it? That depends largely on our individual beliefs and values. A balanced approach might be to set clear goals while remaining open to change and new experiences, allowing us to explore the breadth and depth of life.
Over the past few years, I've made my own self-reflection practice much more structured and intentional. I love thinking about life, learning from others and giving my life a sense of direction. At the same time, I'm aware that focus comes at a price. These two examples illustrate this quite simply:
When getting enough good-quality sleep is one of my priorities, I inevitably miss out on some of the «fully awake» moments of life. I miss parties, dinners and social encounters. In fact, I consciously avoid some of them because I've decided that my most meaningful waking hours often happen in the morning, while others are still asleep. For me, this is a conscious choice that reflects my values.
When I choose a long-awaited holiday over a professional development course, that's another important decision guided by my values and intentions. I choose one kind of life experience over another, knowing that the time available to me is limited.
I believe that everything in life comes at a cost. Yet our society often places greater value on «pleasures» than on things that may feel difficult or uncomfortable in the short term but help us grow in the long run.
Take my bitter green juice, for example. It's essentially blended salad. I consider its cost far lower than the benefits to my well-being that I enjoy through drinking it regularly. That, too, reflects a value judgement.
And I believe this is the key: What matters to you? What are your values?
Let your values determine how firmly or flexibly you approach your resolutions. At the same time, stay open to the unexpected treasures you may discover along the way. And if flexibility is one of your core values, or you tend to put too much pressure on yourself, perhaps New Year's resolutions simply aren't for you.