Hacking New Year’s Resolutions 2015

The problem:

92% of New Year’s resolutions fail. Why? This sounds like a fascinating problem waiting to be solved. I have a hacker mindset and like to apply this attitude to other things. I would be delighted if I could overcome this failure rate limit and become 8%.

My explanation

There is research shows that ‘will power’ could be a limited resource. We all have a desire for self-improvement, but we could not just rely on our self-control to achieve the goals. It is so frustrating to see ourselves disappointed ourselves. We hate ourselves like this, but we are helpless.

Suggested Solution

In order to change, we have to keep it simple and realistic. Tackle the low hanging fruits to keep us motivated. Convert the vague idea into an actionable goal. Then just keep it up, every day. We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.

My 2015 goals

Here is a to-do list for me every day, just to remind myself:

1. Always be coding — Spend 1 hour every day on toy problem or solving code challenges.

2. Healthier — Spend 30 minutes every day for jogging or other exercises. Healthy body, healthy mind.

3. Learn something new — Spend 1 hour every day to read books or watch lecture videos.

4. Family and friends — Spend 1 hour every day to catch up for lunch or dinner.

Please kindly remind me if I fail to keep my promise. What are your 2015 goals?☺

Originally published at victorleungtw.com on January 2, 2015.