# [[Why not to make resolutions in 2024]] <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p6KdfE97y4w" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe> Related:: "" ## Pre-production ### Thumbnail ![[Why I'm not making resolutions this year.png]] ### Title 1. why i'm not making resolutions (80) 2. objectives in Obsidian (84) 3. why not to make resolutions (88) ### Hook This is the time of year to think of goals, and last year, I did a video about [[How to set goals in Obsidian]], where I showed how I do OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) instead of resolutions. Then I showed how I link each OKR to quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily goals using the Periodic Notes plugin in Obsidian. But here's the thing. What all that got me, is burnt out. So this video is about why and how I'm doing something different. ### Structure - I broke my back to finish [a course](https://courses.nicolevanderhoeven.com/o4e), Obsidian for Everyone. - I spoke at 9 events on 3 continents. - I was travelling for 122 days of the year and visited 11 countries and 23 cities. - I thought I wasn't doing enough, so I publicly declared that I was going to write a book: [[Writing a book in Obsidian - The beginning]] so that I would "force" myself to do it. - 124 videos not including shorts (35 pre-edited), in 3 languages - NVDH: 29 + 5 lives - GL: 34 - k6: 18 - A&A: 25 - BtCS: 2 - I got burnt out, so then I started consuming content on how to prevent it (Books: [[readwise/Books/Burnout|Burnout]], [[sources/Book/Can't Even|Can't Even]], [[sources/Book/Essentialism|Essentialism]], [[Romancing the Shadow]], [[Effortless]]; podcast: Deep Questions by Carl Newport) and then created six videos on the topic -- you know, just to make sure I really learned about it: - [[When productivity gets toxic]] - [[A&A 08 - What does an overloaded system look like for humans]] - [[A&A 25 - Learning about glue work and quiet quitting with Vernon Richards]] - [[A&A 21 - Minimalism in Software Testing]] - [[A&A 12 - What is essentialism]] - [[A&A 13 - Impostor Syndrome]] - Even my fun was obsessive. Last year I played 105 tabletop roleplaying games, in 12 systems It turns out that setting lofty objectives with very clearly defined measures for success or failure just encouraged me to prioritise for short-term productivity at the cost of my physical and mental health. So no more objectives. Here's what I'm doing instead. In the Cortex podcast, content creators CGP Grey and Myke Hurley talked about how they don't do resolutions. They do themes. Listen to that episode here where they review their themes from last year and then talk about their themes for this year. Something about the simplicity of it spoke to me. This year for me is the Year of Remembering. Remembering: - who I am - what I actually like to do - the people I really want to spend time with - the things that really give me energy and being relentless in asking myself every day if something is going to help me remember and come back to the core of me, or if it's going to detract from that. And the best part is that I don't even have to figure it all out right now. In Obsidian: - Create a note: [[2024-Year of Remembering]] - Changing daily template to add a "Reflection: Year of X" - Generate a daily note. - Go back to theme note and then see all the backlinks. Productivity isn't everything. I'm still going to be making stuff. But you know what? I don't really need goals to do that because that already is my natural inclination. What I need is to remember what it's like to just be me-- something I feel I lose track of sometimes-- and then to just accept that, without asking for more or less. ### Outro I must admit I'm still doing some objectives. I still have to do it for my day job, because we do still commit to quarterly objectives. So if you still want to do that, check out this video from last year where I show how that all ties in together. Or, if you're on my Patreon, I've done all of this work for you and you can just download the vault and copy this workflow. Thanks for watching. And if you're in this with me, what is your yearly theme? ### Related videos and resources (podcast episode) 2024 Yearly Themes by Cortex Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXexYmOHkas (book) Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle: https://amzn.to/3S40x5g (book) Can't Even: How Millennials Became the Burnout Generation: https://amzn.to/3TLLm1P (book) Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less: https://amzn.to/3tv6ezT (book) Effortless: Make It Easier to Do What Matters Most: https://amzn.to/3vscaKi (book) Romancing the Shadow: A Guide to Soul Work for a Vital, Authentic Life: https://amzn.to/47ft5Ny (podcast) Deep Questions with Cal Newport: https://www.thedeeplife.com/listen/ ### Cards 00:05 [[How to set goals in Obsidian]] 00:37 https://courses.nicolevanderhoeven.com/o4e ### Pinned comment ``` The concept of a yearly theme isn't new, but it's the first time I've understood why it appeals. If you're doing one this year, let me know what your theme is, and how you're planning to track it! ``` ### Timestamps 00:00 Intro 01:45 What I'm doing instead 02:47 Obsidian setup ## Post-production - [x] Create captions using Rev, then edit them. - [x] Take a thumbnail photo and create one for YouTube (1280 x 720). - [x] Add description. - [x] Include the title and any keywords in the first few sentences, but in a natural way. - [x] Add related videos and resources as links. - [x] Add end screen. - [x] Add cards if necessary. - [x] Add chapters/timestamps for YouTube if longer than 5 minutes. - [x] Add mid-roll ads/check monetization settings. - [x] Add pinned comment. - [x] Post video preview on Patreon. - [x] Schedule on YouTube. - [x] Add video to relevant playlist(s), or create a playlist if necessary. - [x] Schedule on Mastodon. - [ ] Create a blog post on [site](https://nicolevanderhoeven.com). - [ ] Change `published` to `true`. - [ ] Change `status` to `Published`.