The English Cambridge Dictionary defines resolution in several contexts:

• “A promise to yourself to not do something.”

• “The act of solving or ending a problem or difficulty”

• “A formal statement of a decision or opinion.”

• “if you make a resolution, you promise yourself to do something.”

There is a problem with the idea of New Year’s Resolutions. The very definition of resolution creates an all or nothing focus. You either succeed in your promise or you fail. You conquer, or you succumb. There is no middle ground. The only outcomes are success or failure. According to research, by February, at least 80% of people have stopped their New Year’s Resolution.

There are numerous articles that explore the reasons behind failed resolutions.  When reading these articles, the language transitions from resolutions to use of the word goals.  The definition of goals from the English Cambridge Dictionary defines goals as: “A purpose, or something you want to achieve.”

A goal, by definition, is a specific target that you are striving to reach.  It is working towards something.  It does not imply failure or success.  A goal points to the journey, the space between where you start and how you get to where you want to end.  When we speak to goals, we are automatically including the struggle that accompanies striving towards something. 

Is the difference between a goal and a resolution all that important?   It basically means the same thing, so what is the big deal about the word choice? The issue is that the word we use reflects and strengthens our mindset.  Mindset plays a big role in how you perceive yourself and your abilities.

Over thirty years ago, psychologist Carol Dweck researched the impact of failure on students.  In her book, “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success,” she explored the difference between fixed mindset and growth mindset. 

Fixed Mindset

• The belief that your basic abilities, your intelligence and your talents are fixed and unchangeable. 

• If these traits are fixed, then it is important to only engage in the activities that you know are achievable. 

• Failure reflects something negative about you.

Growth Mindset

• The understanding that abilities and talents can be developed through hard work, effort, and persistence.

• Failure, although unpleasant, is seen as a learning opportunity.  The lessons learned from failing help cultivate the growth of an individual. 

• It is based on the idea that “Everyone can get smarter if they work at it.” (Carol Dweck)

To quote Carol Dweck:

“Why waste time proving over and over how great you are, when you could be getting better? Why hide deficiencies instead of overcoming them? Why look for friends or partners who will just shore up your self-esteem instead of ones who will also challenge you to grow? And why seek out the tried and true, instead of experiences that will stretch you? The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it’s not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives. “

“In one world, failure is about having a setback. Getting a bad grade. Losing a tournament. Getting fired. Getting rejected. It means you’re not smart or talented. Failure is about not growing. Not reaching for the things you value. It means you’re not fulfilling your potential. In one world, effort is a bad thing. It, like failure, means you’re not smart or talented. If you were, you wouldn’t need effort. In the other world, effort is what makes you smart or talented.”

A fixed mindset prevents skill growth and focuses on what is attainable now.  A resolution stems from a fixed mindset.   A growth mindset embraces the challenge.  It looks to stretch past what is achievable now.  

For those with a growth mindset, personal success is defined as working your hardest to become your best self.  For those with a fixed mindset, personal success is defined as successful accomplishment. 

The mindset you choose to cultivate has a huge impact on your life.  The choice of a resolution or a goal in claiming our intentions speaks to that mindset.   When the word speaks to only success or failure, we are engaging with a fixed mindset.  When the word speaks to moving towards a desired point, we are engaging with a growth mindset.  Your beliefs, how you speak to yourself, can hold you back or propel you forward.  The actions you engage in continue to reflect and shape those beliefs.