Sharing an article from Medium contributor Niklas Göke. When I first read it, it felt like Nicolas stumbled upon ancient wisdom. Hope it helps you start fresh the way it has done so for me. Now read –

The more New Year’s resolutions you set, the faster you’ll feel like a failure. Goals are a bad way of trying to achieve happiness. But why?

First, goals are a constant source of pressure until you achieve them. They undermine your self-worth. You feel like you “lack” the result of the goal, and until you fix it, your self-esteem will remain in the dumps.

Second, when you do achieve a goal, your sense of fulfillment never lasts. You celebrate for a minute, then move the goal post and set your sights on the next one.

Moments like this happen all the time. Every day, millions of people turn their greatest achievements into ashes in their minds. Goals are a terrible way of trying to find happiness.

Okay, but why should themes be any better?

A theme is a laid-back, human-proof, considerate approach to improvement. It gives you a singular, universal standard against which you can compare all your thoughts, actions, and decisions. 

For every challenge you face, you’ll only need one question: “Is this in line with my theme?” If your theme is “health,” there’ll likely be few circumstances under which sacrificing sleep is okay. If your theme is “work,” hanging with friends might have to take a back seat for a while. 

The right choice in any situation will become clearer because you’ll now have a compass to point you in the right direction.

Second, a theme isn’t worried about tomorrow, nor does it care what happened yesterday. All that matters is what you do today. A theme turns happiness into a daily, attainable standard based only on your behavior, not your achievements. Failed today? No problem. Tomorrow is another chance.

So, what makes a good theme?

First, your theme should be a single word to guide you through the year. It must not be complicated. Otherwise, you won’t naturally remember it right when you need it the most.

Second, the best themes are words that can act both as verbs and nouns. Here are some examples – Love, Balance, Focus, Act, Share, Grace, Believe, Work, Move, Rest.

If you want to choose a theme for 2022, start by asking a simple question: “What’s the theme I need the most right now — based on what happened in 2021?”

In 2022, instead of setting goals, try a one-word theme. You’ll be surprised how easy and efficient it is. Your theme will work for you both consciously and subconsciously, and you won’t feel the usual regret, pressure, and anxiousness associated with goals.

What will be your one-word theme?

Read the entire article here.