Ask HN: Best ways to create and stay on track with New Year's resolutions?

4 pointsorenlindsey2mo ago3 comments

Hello everyone, I have a goal of reading 52 books in 2026, and I wanted to gain some wisdom and ideas for how to do that today. What ways have y'all found to stay on track with your goals and resolutions (whether New Year's resolutions or not)? Any books you could recommend would be helpful too.

3 comments

eduardogarza2mo ago

Why 52 and not 26? or 104? The number is arbitrary - it's much better to ask yourself - what questions do you have about the world? what is something that I'm curious about? Then find recommendations from Reddit, HN or even the chatbots about the best books of that topic.

Example: I want to improve my ability to write with a richer vocabulary so therefore I should probably find the best English classics and authors known for their vocabulary (Shakespeare, Joyce..). What are 1-2 books by each of them? Read them -- learn with intention -- and it will not feel like a chore that requires you to "stay motivated" and you'll just do it.

You could easily read a self-help book in a day. A classic might take you a month. A textbook probably a couple of months. Speaking from experience, focus less on the number and finding quality things consume that will teach you something meaningful and long-lasting.

chistev2mo ago

Create a small Todo list of things you plan to do every single day. It should be a small manageable list. The point of keeping it small is to avoid procrastination. Procrastination is symptom of anxiety over tasks we need to do.

So you create a small Todo list and on that list you have something like -

Read x amount of pages of a book.

Do X

Go to the Gym

Etc. Etc.

Everyday you wake up and try to complete the activities on the list.

Slow and steady. Consistency over intensity.

You'll see that the number of pages you've read will add up very quickly. Just keep it manageable. It's not a competition.

bell-cot2mo ago

Any particular genre for those 52 books?

What other readers are there in your social circles? Many people find it easier to read if doing yields social rewards.

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