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Ask HN: What's your new year resolution?

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Re: Ask HN: What's your new year resolution?

#21

Post by contingencies »

vojant wrote: post #16

I thought about my life latey and I am starting today with my New Year resolutions. * Improve my english * Learn math - I have graduated only high school and I have been scared of math my whole life. Time to change it! * Learn as much as I can about data mining. - After reading http://guidetodatamining.com , I found it really interesting. * Learn Python. * Improve work/fun time management.

In support of point 1, point 2 should be "learn more maths". Use of the abbreviated, antiquated adjective 'mathematic' as a plural is a peculiarity of American English and is probably not something you want to emulate. Have fun :)

Re: Ask HN: What's your new year resolution?

#23

Post by repsilat »

Casseres wrote: post #4
onion2k wrote: post #2

And if you have one, why are you waiting until an arbitrary date to start?

Exactly. If it's important, you'll want to start right away. If it's not important, you'll probably fail in the commitment.

> If it's not important, you'll probably fail in the commitment.

As anecdotal evidence against this, my 2013 resolutions[1] were both unimportant and resounding successes. The trick, I think, is that they were just different ways of doing things I already did, not new things to do every day. They required some willpower but no planning or time, and they were difficult to ignore or forget about.

That is a fairly limiting description, though, and I did stumble onto it by chance. It will inform my future resolutions, though. I probably won't decide to "write a little every day" because it's too easy a promise to break. On the other hand, something like "no using the tablet in bed before dinner" will probably work.

1: use my non-dominant hand for everything, and always stand under the shower when I turn it on.

Re: Ask HN: What's your new year resolution?

#24

Post by vojant »

contingencies wrote: post #21
vojant wrote: post #16

I thought about my life latey and I am starting today with my New Year resolutions. * Improve my english * Learn math - I have graduated only high school and I have been scared of math my whole life. Time to change it! * Learn as much as I can about data mining. - After reading http://guidetodatamining.com , I found it really interesting. * Learn Python. * Improve work/fun time management.

In support of point 1, point 2 should be "learn more maths". Use of the abbreviated, antiquated adjective 'mathematic' as a plural is a peculiarity of American English and is probably not something you want to emulate. Have fun :)

Thanks

Re: Ask HN: What's your new year resolution?

#26

Post by vojant »

vojant wrote: post #16

I thought about my life latey and I am starting today with my New Year resolutions. * Improve my english * Learn math - I have graduated only high school and I have been scared of math my whole life. Time to change it! * Learn as much as I can about data mining. - After reading http://guidetodatamining.com , I found it really interesting. * Learn Python. * Improve work/fun time management.

Ah I forgot, I will skip this New Year party (I will sit at home and learn instead of drinking). I will party next year but only if I manage to keep my resolutions.

Re: Ask HN: What's your new year resolution?

#27

Post by onion2k »

matthewmacleod wrote: post #9
onion2k wrote: post #2

And if you have one, why are you waiting until an arbitrary date to start?

Someone always has to say this, but it's a little bit tired. A new year is not entirely "arbitrary". Sure – from the point of view of geology or global history, it's irrelevant. But it provides a very obvious psychological "clean slate" – a fresh start and obvious break. It usually provides a little holiday, some time spent with family, and an opportunity for reflection. Yes, most resolutions fail. But people aren't…

Making something a resolution to change something at New Year is giving yourself permission to fail. Everyone breaks their New Year resolutions, so why shouldn't you?

The fact is, if we can resolve to change at the beginning of January then we can commit to self-improvement at the drop of a hat (assuming the 'drop of a hat' means a time when we have the necessary resources, time, inclination, etc). The date makes absolutely no difference at all. Why not a birthday resolution, or easter, or mid-summer (surely a far better time if you're going to be more active or eat more healthily)? I have no data, but I wouldn't be at all surprised to see people who resolve to do things at times of the year other than New Year are much, much more successful than anyone who'll make a change next week. Their reasons (a choice rather than a tradition) will be more inclined to success.

Re: Ask HN: What's your new year resolution?

#30

Post by ozh »

Also, stop biting my nails. I've got myself a simple little manicure set (the little scissors and a nail file) and whenever I'm on the phone, I gently grind & shape a couple nails.

Bonus: typing feels much better with smooth nails than with awful bitten fingers.

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