How many of you made a New Year’s resolution to not eat sweets and you’re munching on a doughnut as you’re reading this? Hey, no judgement here. I relate. It’s at about this time in January that many of us are realizing how difficult our resolutions are to maintain. Some of us committed to exercise more, read more, and sleep more, while others of us would like to eat less, work less, and stress less. I’ve made many such goals in the past, yet my failure rates are much higher than I’d like to admit. By the end of last December, I was still not a well-read, buff, traveling, early-bird.

Apparently, I’m not alone. Through a recent conversation with some fitness enthusiasts, I learned the gyms are so flooded with eager resolutioners in January, that it’s almost impossible to find an empty piece of equipment. However by February, most of these seemingly determined individuals have disappeared and the gym is spacious once again. This is an illustration of an alarming truth: most people will not follow through with their goals for 2018. In fact, research shows that only 8% of people who make New Year’s resolutions are successful in achieving them. 

This information is quite disheartening for me to hear. I’m the kind of person who cringes as the thought of unfinished business and unchecked boxes. As a result, I find myself repeatedly coming up with resolutions that are simply altered versions of last year’s. And I think I’m beginning to understand why.

I have an obsession with productivity. I love researching ways of doing anything and everything more efficiently. My recent Pinterest searches include things like: quick, healthy to-go recipes, how to develop a consistent 6 a.m. morning routine, or quickest way to apply mascara. (I’ve never actually searched that last one… but give me a second while I find out if there are actually techniques for that).

What I’ve come to realize is that my goals have not been a true reflection of what I want my life to look like. I actually don’t want to live a busy, fast-paced life. So why do my New Year’s resolutions and Pinterest searches seem to suggest this? My mindset has been that if I complete my tasks quickly and efficiently, I’ll have more time to engage in the activities I’m passionate about. Unfortunately, things never seem to work out that way. I become so laser focused on my to-do list that I never actually get to those seemingly less urgent passions of mine. Shauna Niequist writes about this struggle in her book, Present Over Perfect:

“We get to decide how we want to live. We get to shape our days and our weeks, and if we don’t, they’ll get shaped by the wide catch-all of ‘normal’ and typical, and who want’s that?”

How simple, yet incredibly profound that statement is. I have the ability to fill my days and weeks with things that matter to me. It shocks me sometimes to reflect on my daily decisions and realize how many of them I made simply because “it’s the thing to do!” or “it has to be done!” or “it’s the most efficient way!” Too often, I forget to fully utilize one of the most precious, loving, and powerful gifts God has given me: free will.

This year I’m living differently. I’m going to make daily decisions that are a reflection of my long-term goals. Rather than assuming a life-style of efficiency will leave time for what’s important to me, I will craft my schedule around what I value most. I’ll set aside time to read books that spark my creativity and challenge my thinking. I’ll put away my phone and spend time reading God’s Word and processing my thoughts on paper. I’ll go to the mountains. Drink coffee with friends. Discuss my faith with classmates. Play board games with my family. Have late-night conversations with my brother.  

Don’t get me wrong, I still want to lead a productive life. I do not, however, want productivity to drive my life. At the end of 2018, I hope to look back on a year marked by friendship, adventure, meaningful talks, and spiritual growth.

What do you want 2018 to look like? Don’t forget that you have the power to fill today, tomorrow, and the next day with activities and people that matter to you. Otherwise your days will be shaped by ‘normal’ and typical, and who wants that?

~ash

the key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities. ~Stephen Covey (author of 7 Habits of Highly Successful People)