How to Make Resolutions That End in Disaster

The secret to making resolutions end in disaster is also the secret to a really bad movie. So let me teach you about how to make a really bad movie.

In the beginning, our hero lives an ordinary life. We wouldn’t want to watch that for long but, unfortunately for us, we have no choice since this is a story about bad movies and bad resolutions.

So, our hero continues on living an ordinary life.

And why is that so bad? Don’t most of us have ordinary lives?

The answer is a resounding NO! But, more on that later. Back to the bad movie.

Ordinary is another word for no plot. No drama. No conflict. AND…

No Resolution.

You get it?

The word Resolution is found within the context of a STORY.

So, what’s your story?

Bad movies have terrible plots or no plot at all. The hero winds his way through 2 hours of nothing. No beginning, no middle, and no end. Nothing to hook us in.

Think of great movies.

• For Godfather, the conflict was within the family – living a good honorable life versus honoring the family.
• For Contact (a classic by the way), it was Jodi Foster and her dealing with the tension between science and religion.
• For Napoleon Dynamite, his story was the conflict of a nerd in Idaho and his love for a hot chick.
• For Nacho Libre, his story was a complex tension between his love for Lucha Libre and his equally strong love for God and being a man of the cloth.

Your story might be your desire to lose weight so you can look hot for your spouse and your equally strong love for Twinkies. For me, it’s my unnatural desire to drink soda and my daily stomach ache whenever I consume Mountain Dew.

Great stories and Great Resolutions begin with Conflict.

Now that’s out of the way, figure out what your conflict is and what’s the tension. Be really clear on the tension and make sure the “pull” is either polar and that the pull is coming from a place that has enough strength to pull either way – emotionally.

Bad movies Don’t Have Tension

Think about it. Suppose your conflict is between losing weight and your desire to look great for your spouse. Most of us would agree that’s adequate tension with a strong pull either way – to lose weight for your spouse and to continue eating that really unhealthy but yummy fatty and salty and sugary foods. The pull is strong either way.

Bad movies have conflict but do nothing with it.

Instead, they show the conflict, and then they complain on Facebook.

That’s right.

Bad movies are like people that Resolve to lose weight, but do nothing and instead post their complaints on Facebook.

Why is that so bad, you ask.

Because it’s Tension Gone Unresolved.

There’s that word again – resolve.

To resolve tension – pressure must be released and can only be released from either side of the “Pull”. That’s why it’s called tension. Posting on Facebook doesn’t resolve it.

You Are Not Ordinary

We are not ordinary. Think about it. Your life is actually full of drama and that’s a good thing. Let me explain.

Don’t Be a Bad Movie

So, let me summarize:

• Bad movies don’t have a plot. Nothing to hook us in.
• Bad movies have tension, but do nothing with it.
• Bad movies explain the tension, but don’t resolve it.

So, make your resolution the opposite of a bad movie. Then, maybe this year it won’t end in disaster.