In late 2018, I publicly declared my new year resolutions for 2019 on Dev.to and GitHub. Back then, like everyone else, I wasn't sure whether I will be able to achieve it or not. The list was long, and my past record was terrible. But in my head, I was committed to accomplishing it. I knew I had to do it right this time. So I wrote this...
Well folks, it's 2020, and I'm proud to share that I have done it. I've smashed all of my resolutions in 2019.
So now it's done and dusted, I wanted to share how a GitHub repo actually helped me achieve it.
sarthology
/
ResolutionBoard
π A template that helps you achieve your resolutions every year
This is The Resolution Board, a template created to help you achieve your New Year Resolutions and these are my new year resolutions.
Resolution 1 π 
Resolution 2 π¨π»βπ»
Resolution 3 βοΈ
Resolution 4 πͺπΌ
Resolution 5 π€
If your resolution is to work on Open Source this year. Join Team XenoX Multiverse π₯
Wanna say thanks Tweet me @sarthology
Doubtful? Stick with me for a bit. Let me tell you how I did it.
Actually, resolutions don't work π
"Wait, what?"
Yeah, they don't. Or rather, resolutions that are vague, immeasurable and ineffective at holding you accountable don't work. As 2019 was strolling along, a few months later I realised that I had not, in fact, simply declared resolutions this time. Rather, they were Measurable Goals. I divided my resolutions in 6 Sections and then gave a number to each section. These sections were a few of the big-picture things that I care about in my life, things that I wanted to focus on in 2019 (health, travel, social, etc.). And there I had it, goals that I could actually measure instead of vague resolutions.
So that's what I mean when I say resolutions don't work... unless they're accompanied by measurable goals that keep you accountable. Simply declaring "This year, I'm going to contribute to Open Source Projects" is not enough. You need to create Measurable Goals for yourself, because they hold you accountable. There's always a number you can monitor to keep track of you progress. This concept is popular as OKRs, which you can find out more about in this video.
Keep track of your OKRs
OKRs are great, but the most crucial role in achieving them is played by your effort to monitor them. Analyse your stats as often as you need to; monthly, quarterly or weekly, depending on your goals. I do it twice a month on alternate weekends. What you need to do is very straight-forward. Sit in a quite place or your bat cave, and ask yourself:
1). Were you able to achieve your goals? π€
2). If yes, pat yourself on the back. ππ½
3). If not, ask yourself the reason. β
4). Make a rectifying plan of action. π
Remember that the reason for your failure(s) should always point to you, not to others. You, and you alone, are responsible for your achievements as well as your failures, always. So find your faults and plan how you're going to rectify them. Be painfully honest with yourself, that's the only way. And hey, if you've tried hard but still couldn't accomplish your goals, pat yourself on the back anyway. At the end of the day, that's what matters the most.
You need to be your biggest critic and your most enthusiastic cheerleader!
So there you have it, friends. These are the simple yet supremely effective steps I took to monitor my progress and smash my goals in 2019.
Conclusion
The biggest takeaway from this piece should be that OKRs are powerful and incredibly effective in helping you achieve what you want. So if you also wish to accomplish your new year resolutions for 2020, use OKRs and monitor them consistently. You will see progress fast.
Secondly, consistency is a superpower. You wanna know how I launched 12 products in 12 months on ProductHunt? With the power of consistency. (Separate blog post coming on that soon btw!) Consistency isn't something you get in a day or a week. It needs to be harnessed, it requires long-term effort, but it gets easier with each day. So when you begin something, keep at it.
Now go make a plan and crush your 2020 goals! πͺπ½
P.S. Are you an Open-Source Enthusiast?
Since I mentioned how working on open-source projects is a common resolution among many developers every year, let me help you if you're in the same boat. If you looking to build cool products in a collaborative environment and meet awesome people, I welcome you to join me in XenoX Multiverse π₯. Check out some of the stuff we made last year.
We are currently working on Caligator, one of the products we built last year which got great reception from you all and the good folks over at ProductHunt.
Article No Longer Available
Caligator got a lot of traction and feature requests from people. I truly believe in its potential and want it to be an easily accessible and smart calculations program that works well on all platforms. Help us fire this up and take Caligator to the next level. Join chat on Gitter
That's all for now. Ciao!
Top comments (3)
Did you decide before 2019 that you would read 12 books?
Yes
what were the okrs?