Are "resolutions" doomed from the start?

We are so familiar with the stalwarts, we can bring them to mind in our sleep:

• To lose 20 lbs this year

• To start and/or finish that novel this year

• To save an extra $3,000 this year

A question for your consideration: how many times have you or someone you know successfully carried out one or more of their New Year's Resolutions?

There are certainly exceptions, but most of us can count this on one hand.

The conflict baked into "resolutions"

As Google defines it, the word "resolution" means:

1. A firm decision to do or not to do something.

2. The quality of being determined or resolute.

The idea of having more than one exposes the faultline built into the system.

If you have resolution, you’ll do something. That's just how it works.

If you have “resolutions,” you’ll play the old game. You might talk up a new self, accessorizing with usefully foggy idioms like “turning a new leaf,” “starting a new you,” and other such pablum.

Advertisers love this. These are easy taglines and many are paid good money to feed them to you.

So what's a solution?

Well, there are many, but they tend to start with you becoming extremely specific about what you're going to do and how you're going to do it.