So, 2020 (twenty-twenty ?) is here already with each new year comes that dreary feeling of making up for all the things you couldn't accomplish in the last one. It's usually when the yearly clock is reset that we mentally pause, sit down and reflect on all of our dreams and ambitions and what we can do better this time so that they become more close to reality. We do that by setting a list of goals, which normies usually refer to as resolutions.

Now, it's been a bit hip to dunk on resolutions lately. Thought leaders all over the Twittersphere boldly claim that resolutions are just a crutch to people that cannot uphold their commitments. That in reality, they all should be chasing their goals daily, something I actually agree with. But I still think that resolutions are useful, not only to psychologically imprint our goals but also to put us in retrospective mode, one where you are forced (for once) to think if the things you are currently setting out to accomplish are the right things. Yes, we could be doing that assessment daily as well but we usually are not since we might err too much on the conservative side, always aiming at different goals and never actually hitting them.

I think resolutions are much easier to implement if they are part of a broader thought framework, one which purpose and habits are first-class citizens. First of all, for any goal you set out to achieve, it has to make sense at a metaphysical level. One of my long-standing desires nowadays is to one day be proud of my own body. Now, I know that my dream body won't come about if I don't put in the work, which is why I habitually eat healthily and do resistance training. If you don't make sense of a goal from the get-go, you are almost certainly setting yourself up to failure (this is why I believe most resolutions go down that path)

I don't like long lists to be honest and this year is no different. I think long lists increase the chance of frustration. At a conscious level, I don't use goals myself to gauge success but the more goals I have, the less successful I might feel, paradoxically. Also, if you already have a comfortable, purpose-driven level of ambition in your life going on right now, I don't think it's healthy to add more goals, for goals-only sake. It's a new year and Classpert will still be a challenging project, if not more. This year, I want to focus on my non-professional well being resolution-wise.

My list includes (not exhaustively):

1] Attaining a basic level of Japanese proficiency (being able to read, understand and talk to a native). My purpose with language acquiring, particularly kanji-based, is to be able to access a knowledge base that is usually unavailable to western people by sheer ignorance (this is why I also consider Japanese a trampoline to other languages such as Mandarin). My habits will include input, for the most part, particularly kanji memorization and listening to video materials.

2] Having more lean mass and less fat mass. My purpose (as stated before) is to look good. My habits will include controlling more effectively what I eat (especially fat and sugar, which I'm highly sensitive to) and being more mindful in my resistance training so that I'm sure I'm giving my body enough reason to grow, at all times.

3] Being more comfortable and friendly around people. My purpose is to leave the limbo of having no friends in my 30's (I don't think I have to explain the importance of having friends). I think I have reached this point by being naively antisocial and this has caused me only pain (a subject for another blog post). My habits might include participating in in-person activities.

4] Writing more! I want to fill this blog with my ideas more often. My purpose is not (at least for now) to gather followers but rather to practice the art of writing, which in turn will make me more eloquent and, at the very least, interesting. Writing in English will also make me more functional and comfortable in the language.

Whatever the outcome, here's to a 2020 full of goal achievements and most importantly, fulfilling happy moments :)

# meta

It's 2020 already, let's do resolutions

Testing GoodNotes' OCR feature

More than a blog, a gateway to my creative thoughts