The tradition of linking resolutions to set periods in the calendar goes back to ancient times. The ancient Babylonians were among the first to make promises about the upcoming year during their 12-day festival of Akitu. Julius Caesar helped kick of traditions of new year resolutions in ancient Rome when he decreed that the year would start in January, a month named after the two faced god Janus. Later, John Wesley helped start traditions involving church serves convened on New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day where congregants would think about ways to improve themselves and their communities in the coming year.

December of 2019 not only marks the last month of this year, but it also marks the last month of this decade! It may be worth considering how one doesn’t even need to wait till the end of the year to make a resolution, but that resolutions can be linked to any amount of time on the calendar. One could make a new week resolution, a new month resolution, the familiar new year resolution, or event a new decade resolution.

As Bill Gates noted, people often overestimate what they can get done in a year, but underestimate what they can get done in 10 years. With a new decade on the horizon, this may an opportunity to do some thinking about the work you want to do in the coming 10 years, and how you will make an impact on the world through the work you’ll be doing!