Those Stories was granted the exciting opportunity to track and work with five people on their New Year’s Resolutions. As the ringleader of this small (and perhaps mostly fictional) endeavor, I’m the Oompa Loompas of this Willy Wonka experiment. Each week, we will lose one of our five contestants, and I will sing their parting song about resolution revelations.
I’m retired from singing, however, so it will just be written thoughts.
We start with Ricard. Ricard is a workaholic who doesn’t get enough sleep and (since his office went remote full-time) never closes his work computer.
Ricard wants to make six changes to start the year. He wants to eat healthier, work out more, perform acts of kindness, close his work laptop before bed, pursue creative projects and meditate.
He has no plan. He’s relying on being resolute.
He won’t make it to January second.
The great irony of calling them resolutions is that we’re testing our own resolve or willpower to enact the change. We almost always fail because the change in the calendar doesn’t suddenly increase our willpower.
As we’ll explore in future weeks, resolve is not the answer.
Instead of making a resolution, Ricard should make a declaration. Declaring something doesn’t mean that it will happen. It leaves you open for the work. The Declaration of Independence still required beating the British twice, and we’re still fixing the rough draft 250 years later.
Declarations lead to revolutions (or rebellious experiments), which lead to Resolutions.
Ricard is going back to the drawing board. My suggestion is that he focus on the work laptop problem. If he can put away the work, it will open up time for experiments in other areas.
We’re going to stick with the following contestants over the next month. Will any of them even have a declaration turn into a resolution? Will any of them make it to February?
Pat—Workout More
June—Write a Children’s Book
Mario—Play the Guitar
Mr. Jones—Start Writing Daily
Ricard’s Six Resolutions—Eliminated
From Those Stories (Wonka’a New Year’s Declaration Studios), we’ll talk to you in the new year