Ask HN: What are your big plans for 2013?

How do you know the problem is with resolutions/goals and not with your process of setting them?

The way I see it, most people have a bad process of setting their goals. It causes them to always pick the same ones (e.g. lose weight, stop smoking, change a job), and never follow through (e.g. because they always approach the goals using the same methods, like "I will eat less", or "I will have a strong will this time").

I've been setting my goals according to one of Tony Robbins' workshops for the past 9 years now, and it's amazing what it helped me to accomplish.

In short, my process is: - split it to material goals, self-devel goals & career goals - for each section, brainstorm by writing down dosens of goals I want to accomplish in my life - then for each brainstormed goal I write down whether I want to achieve it by 1 year, 2, 5 or 20. - out of 1 year goals I choose three of each kind (9 total).

The above causes me to choose things that are really important, not just "top of the mind" - I surprised myself quite often by discovering that some things I considered could wait.

Then, for each of the 9 goals I write down: - why do I want to accomplish it - the first step, something I can do instantly.

The first step quite often propels me towards achieving the goal, and the reason is a nice reminder of why I wanted to achieve it.

So far, the track record was quite nice. Out of 9 goals I accomplish 3-4 in any given year, but it's still a lot. The rest are quite often accomplished a year-two later, thanks to the path I initiated on the first year. Or abandoned when I discover that the reason is no longer relevant.

Finally, I don't think it's about New Year's. It's about doing an occasional, annual, overview of where you're going and what you accomplished. As much as it's important to constantly track your progress, you cannot ask yourself "where am I going", "what do I want from life" every day or every week. Those are the things one should ask & modify only once in a while.

(edit: I built an iOS app for this process. I hope nobody minds the plug: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/goal-setting-workshop-+-simpl... . I'd give away free codes here, but don't have any left of this version. )

Do some Project Euler problems in a few different languages that I don't use on a regular basis (Java, C++, Scala, perhaps).

Brush up on my Spanish speaking skills (which are limited compared to my reading/writing skills)

I've been doing calisthenics for a year. I would like to do Pilates and yoga as well. I would like to improve overall flexibility, balance, and strength. I've had, perhaps, too diverse of a fitness plan (in 2012 I did 30 weeks of Hockey, 16 weeks of Soccer, a whole spring/summer/fall of running, forty sessions of physical therapy for upper and lower back, in addition to bridges/pullups/pushups/planks).

- Read less and write more (code, blog etc)

- Reduce development time and learn a bit or two about marketing

- Build a personal brand

could you give a few examples of what you would define as little things? do they all work towards a bigger thing, or are they typically unrelated?

> How do you know the problem is with resolutions/goals and not with your process of setting them?

I did not go into depth about my process but the issue I have is with this concept of "once a year I will sit down and make of list of things I will try and do" and meanwhile it never gets done. Mainly as you have outlined because you lack real understanding of the underlying motivations and instead it ends up being the singular fact that it's 12/31/YYYY.

That said I did say: Short, mid, long.. Long doesn't mean 1 yr in my mind. :)

> ...you cannot ask yourself "where am I going", "what do I want from life" every day or every week..

Why not rephrase that "Am I doing what I want with my life." and yes I can ask myself that every single day of the week, because I can compare it to my "core goals" (the 9 you talk about, I keep 4 but if 9 works for you that's fine). The answer should be yes against your "core goals" if not either your goals have shifted and you didn't notice or you've shifted off the path and didn't notice.

If you measure only once a year and set goals once a year you're going to have a very random life experience. :-)

If you measure often and make small course corrections often you'll have a more directed experience.

All that said they're just goals and reality has a tendency to happen (S* happens as they say).