Stop Lying to Yourself: Why Your 2026 Resolutions Are Already Dead (And Why That's Great News)
This is the time of year I hate the most. No, not because of the cold, but because of this collective hallucination called "New Year's." You're probably sitting there with a note on your phone titled "2026 Goals". Let me guess: Exercise 3 times a week? Read 20 books? Launch that side business?
Delete that note. Now.
I'm not saying this to be mean. I'm saying this because the statistics are brutal: 80% of New Year's resolutions fail before the second week of February. By continuing to play this rigged game, you're only setting yourself up for guilt six weeks from now.
The "Linear Productivity" Scam in 2026
We are on the cusp of 2026. The world is changing at a terrifying pace. AI writes our emails, algorithms decide what we see, and the economy is as stable as a house of cards in a wind tunnel. And you? You're trying to apply planning methods that date back to the 1990s (hello SMART goals).
Rigidly planning an entire year in a chaotic world isn't organization. It's denial.
The uncomfortable truth: Rigidity is synonymous with fragility. If your plan for 2026 requires everything to go "as planned" to succeed, you've already failed.
The Solution: Activate "Chaos Mode"
Forget the resolution. Embrace the theme.
People who actually succeed (not those selling courses on Instagram, but real builders) don't make bullet points. They adopt a radical adaptation stance that I call Chaos Mode.
The concept is simple: instead of defining a specific destination (e.g., "Lose 10 kg"), you define a system of behavior (e.g., "I don't eat anything that comes in plastic packaging").
Why does it work?
Because the system survives bad days. The resolution, on the other hand, dies as soon as you miss a gym session.
3 "Non-Resolutions" to Destroy 2026
Do you really want this year to matter?
Stop adding things to your to-do list. Start removing them. Here's your roadmap to Chaos Mode:1. The Default "No" Rule
In 2025, you were too available. In 2026, become unavailable. If an opportunity doesn't make you shout an immediate and visceral "YES!", the answer is no. You don't need to manage your time better; you need to stop giving it away.
2. Produce "Ugly," but Publish It
Perfectionism is a disguise for fear.
Your resolution to write the "perfect novel" or launch the "perfect website" is paralyzing you. The goal of Chaos Mode: Done > Perfect. Launch the project while it's still embarrassing. If you're not ashamed of the first version, you've launched too late.3. Invest in your skills, not things
Inflation is unforgiving. AI is unforgiving. The only thing that can't be taken away from you is what you can do. Cancel the gym membership you never go to. Take that money and pay for a mentor or intensive training.
Conclusion: Be the Ugly Duckling
At the New Year's Eve dinner, when everyone is sharing their saccharine resolutions around the table, keep quiet. Smile. Eat another slice of cake.
Don't promise anything. Don't announce anything on Facebook. Disappear into the shadows and work quietly. Let the results speak for themselves.
your place next December.That's the real resolution: To become unpredictable.
A challenge for the brave
Don't agree? Think rigid planning is the key?
Prove it to me in the comments. Tell me which resolution you kept for more than 3 months last year. I bet the comments section will be pretty empty...
