Last night, at a New Years Eve party, I asked a few people if they had any resolutions for 2014. It was a mix of the usual--get more sleep, wake up early, eat better, go to the gym, get something accomplished at work, etc.
No matter what people said, though--it all seemed kind of... well... fragile. When you resolve to do something, so many things could get in the way, not the least of which is a change of priorities. Maybe running a marathon isn't going to be nearly as important to you by the time November comes.
That's why instead of resolving to *do* anything, I'm thinking about the ways I could resolve to *be*. I may or may not break 2:30 in my triathalon, but I can be more attentive, be a better friend, be more organized, more thoughtful and more curious.
Goals about what kind of person I want to be keeps me focused on the drivers and intentions, not the results. If you can change your intentions, it's like fixing the operating system versus changing up the apps--and everything will run closer to the way you want it to.