Summary

The author discusses their skeptical view on New Year's resolutions, particularly those suggested by AI, and reflects on their personal preferences and life circumstances in setting goals for 2024.

Abstract

In the article "My Life Goals For 2024," the author humorously critiques the conventional and often unrealistic nature of New Year's resolutions, especially those generated by AI, which they find to be overly wholesome and unattainable. The author, reaching a stage in life where ambition and self-improvement take a back seat to comfort and maintaining the status quo, rejects the AI-suggested goals of professional development, fitness routines, financial stability, personal growth, travel, relationship building, volunteering, hobbies, learning new skills, and work-life balance. Instead, they prefer a simpler, more attainable set of goals that align with their current lifestyle and priorities.

Opinions

The author finds AI-generated goals, such as professional advancement and fitness routines, to be too generic and not reflective of their personal aspirations or capabilities.
They express a clear preference for a quieter life over climbing the career ladder or engaging in strenuous activities like running a marathon.
The idea of financial saving is dismissed due to the financial demands of raising teenage children, suggesting a more realistic goal would be to manage existing debt.
Personal growth through reading or workshops is seen as unfeasible due to the author's busy life, which leaves little room for such activities.
The author is content with familiar travel destinations and is not interested in broadening their horizons through new cultural experiences.
Suggestions for strengthening relationships or meeting new people are playfully interpreted as encouragement for infidelity.
Volunteering is acknowledged as a noble pursuit, but the author prefers to spend any spare time on personal relaxation, such as watching Netflix.
Hobbies and creativity have taken a backseat since the arrival of children, and the author sees little opportunity to rekindle these interests.
The prospect of learning a new skill, such as cooking or playing a sport, is met with humor and self-deprecation, indicating a lack of interest or time.
The concept of work-life balance is acknowledged as important but is viewed as unattainable in

My Life Goals For 2024

Getting SMART for the New Year

Health warning: this article contains short sections generated by AI. The goals highlighted in bold were suggested by Chat GPT, the commentary is my own.

So we are getting to that time of year again, when many of us will be making New Year’s resolutions, you know, that list of things which rarely makes it beyond the end of the first week of January, like going to the gym, learning Spanish, doing 5000 steps a day, or remembering to put the bins out without being reminded by Mrs. G. I was struggling to think of any personal goals, so I thought as a bit of a laugh, I would do the modern thing, and ask AI to suggest some personal goals for me for next year, and below in bold are its suggestions.

Now I don’t know about you, but to me the suggestions all seem a bit “motherhood and apple pie”, all very well, but very wholesome and a bit too boring, sensible, and in my case unrealistic. I am not suggesting there should be goals such as “get jacked up on some cheap champagne and score some hookers”, or “go to the bookies and put a large bet you can’t afford on an outsider”, “poison the annoying dog down the road that keeps yapping” or “have an affair with my neighbour”, but it would have been nice to have some slightly more interesting goals, or ones that I might possibly actually achieve.

Professional Development: Set a career goal such as acquiring a new skill, certification, or taking on a leadership role at work.

Well, I have got to the age now where I am more interested in retiring than climbing the greasy pole of ambition. Leadership? No thank you, far too much hard work. I learned long ago never to volunteer for anything, and I can’t think of anything worse than being the idiot in charge.

Health and Wellness: Establish a fitness routine or health goal, whether it’s losing a certain amount of weight, running a marathon, or practicing mindfulness daily.

I nearly did myself an injury laughing at this one. Run a marathon? Haha. It is all I can do to make it from the sofa to the TV remote. The last time I tried some push-ups I put my shoulder out, so I will be giving exercise a miss. Far too risky.

Financial Stability: Create a budget, save a specific amount of money, or invest in a way that aligns with your financial goals for the year.

Whoever the bot trained on clearly hadn’t got teenage children. The idea of saving anything went out the window long ago. A more realistic goal might be to get out of debt before 2050.

Personal Growth: Read a certain number of books, attend workshops, or engage in activities that contribute to your personal development and growth.

Yes, all very nice, but in between the day job, a bit of writing and keeping Mrs. G happy, there is little time for anything else, let alone sitting around reading or having a social life. The only growth going on in my case is the waistline.

Travel and Exploration: Plan a trip to a destination you’ve always wanted to visit or explore new places and cultures.

They say that travel broadens the mind, but I am quite happy with my narrow-minded annual trip to Cornwall thank you, complete with working plumbing and safe food, and if we are very lucky, at least one day when the sun puts in a guest appearance.

Relationships: Strengthen existing relationships or make an effort to meet new people, whether through networking, social events, or community involvement.

Meet new people. Is this a hint that I can have an affair? Just asking for a friend.

Giving Back: Volunteer your time or resources to a cause you’re passionate about, contributing positively to your community or a global issue.

That would be very nice, but if I get any spare time it would be much more profitably spent watching some Netflix thank you.

Hobbies and Creativity: Dedicate time to a hobby or creative pursuit that brings you joy, whether it’s painting, writing, playing a musical instrument, or any other form of self-expression.

Hobbies? They went out the window when children arrived, but a nice thought. I may occasionally play the accordion if I want to annoy Mrs. G, but otherwise spare time is an unexplored country.

Learning a New Skill: Choose a specific skill you’ve always wanted to learn, such as a new language, coding, cooking, or playing a sport.

I seem to be the opposite of a polymath — a monomath? I could certainly do with learning some new skills, but my cooking is a disaster area unless you want flambeed fricassee, burnt biryani, or over-cooked pasta. And sport? Well we all know that is not going to happen, though I wonder if going to watch the football occasionally counts?

Work-Life Balance: Establish boundaries between work and personal life, ensuring a healthy balance that allows you to recharge and enjoy time with family and friends.

Recharging — yes that would be nice, though to be honest I could do with a completely new battery, and a re-bore. Work-life balance disappeared when the children arrived.

Thankfully Chat GPT tells me “Remember, these goals are just suggestions, and it’s important to tailor them to your own aspirations and circumstances. Setting realistic and achievable goals can lead to a more fulfilling and balanced life.” I am glad these are just suggestions and nothing more. Now, where is the TV remote?

Do share your goals for 2024 in the comments. They are hopefully more interesting, enjoyable, and realistic than the ones AI has in mind for me!