The Year of Today (It's a Process)

How are y'all doing on your your New Year's resolutions? I don't ask to be snarky, assuming you've already mothballed your big plans for 2026. I ask because now that it's almost March, it seems like by now you've either 1) completely abandoned your '26 initiative(s) or 2) you've leaned in 100%.

Because with New Year's resolutions, I find there's little room "in the middle." I'm not a resolution guy; and in recent years, I've eschewed outcome-based goals as well.

Let's take my golf game which, after playing with varying degrees of frequency for four decades, has never gotten much better or worse than "last year." And yet, every season, I create a thought (not as a New Year's resolution, but I guess as some mid-winter, "let's-get-ready-for-golf" ritual) that says, "This is the year I improve. I'm going to consistently shoot in the 80s."

Then, I don't. And frankly, I rarely even come close. And then, as I'm putting my clubs away at the end of each season, I feel crappy about my golf game.

Again.

And even if I had improved in certain areas of the game (which I have, on occasions) or found a way to have fun regardless of my score (which I have), I still feel cruddy because I didn't "hit my number." And it's that artificial factor of "success" that stays with me.

Same goes for exercise (weight management, number of miles or steps traveled on foot or by bike each day, finances, the list goes on). When numbers are the critical marker for success, for me anyway, I believe I've set myself up for failure.

I guess it's not how I'm wired.

Make no mistake, I like winning. I like posting solid, impressive "numbers," regardless of what I'm doing. But for me, that approach doesn't work very well anymore. It did when I was 12, and all I had to worry about was achieving a test score, driving in some runs in a Little League game or challenging myself to complete my paper route in less than 45 minutes, and thus giving me more time to do whatever else I wanted to do with the rest of my day.

It's different now because things are so complex, and I need more than a result. I need evidence that goes beyond charts and graphs, what the scale says or whether I "beat" the opposition (whether it was another human or just some nagging thing I made up as "success").

I think that finally, after many, many years on the planet, I'm starting (and that's a key word, "starting") to understand the concept of process versus outcome. Numbers and goals are important. We need some kind of plan for ourselves, with guideposts to get us where we want to go, and to help us live how we want to live.

But too often in my life, instead of pursuing what I want and what I need––to be a better person, to feel better, to contribute to the happiness of others, to be healthier, etc. –– I've used artificial goals (i.e., numbers or milestones created by others, some experts ... others not) to drive what it all means (with "it all" being a complete, satisfying life for myself).

In recent years, I've been working on (with limited but consistent success) celebrating and deriving motivation from creating processes, habits and routines that push and pull me forward. And, I've also begun surrounding myself with people who can support that effort; people who also look at a more "whole" version of success and progress.

And in just the past few weeks, I've met people and I've been part of events and activities that have really opened my eyes to the power of process and what it can do.

Of course, this isn't a new thing. I'm sure I could find hundreds or thousands of books, podcasts and articles that discuss this topic, both pro and con. But like anything else, until we embrace it on our own, until it's our idea; until we're ready for it, all the books, podcasts and articles in the world won't get us moving.

Just like so many New Year's resolutions (at least the ones based on numbers).

Don't get me wrong, when I shoot a bad score in golf, I'm still pissed. But that feeling lasts for about three seconds, and I then I move on. (That's progress.) And there are many times in a week––or even a day––when I slip up and start comparing myself to others who have "better numbers" or who are further down the road toward a goal.

But practicing "process" is just that ... a process. It doesn't have a starting point or an end; a number that says, "I've arrived. I'm finished. I did it." It just needs to be sustainable.

Because life is about always "doing it," always looking toward a better tomorrow; not necessarily in terms "achieving better numbers," but in improving our process, how we view and love ourselves, how we treat others, and how much positivity, peace and love we can create ... inside and out.

So, if you've already relegated your New Year's resolution(s) to your mental or emotional junk drawer, don't worry about it. There's today, and that's as good a time as any to start working a better process. Well, it is for me anyway.

Just my two cents. Enjoy your day.

(C) 2026 David R. Haznaw