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You Need a Theme, Not a Goal

CGP Grey · explainer · Watch on YouTube

Productivity & self-improvement

What it is

CGP Grey argues for picking a theme for the year or season instead of setting goals or new year's resolutions. He explains how a theme gives direction without a pass/fail target.

Why Hacker News recommends it

A staple recommendation in new year and goal-setting threads, with many commenters adopting yearly themes.

  • 10 people recommended it
  • 8 different months
  • 5 strong recommendations
  • first 2020, last 2025

What HN commenters said

  1. “CGP Grey has an excellent video on this exact kind of goal setting”

    Video on new year's resolutions and theme-based goals

    cosmojg, 2021-01 · Strong recommendation · in “Setting goals for 2021 – A brief guide about personal goal setting”

  2. “I'm a huge believer in CGP Grey's thematic year system”

    Thematic year system replacing resolutions, with personal success

    scrollaway, 2021-12 · Strong recommendation · in “Happy New Year HN! What are your plans for the new year?”

  3. “A similar idea that resonated with me is CGP Grey's suggestion to replace resolutions with themes”

    Replace resolutions with themes to avoid giving up

    dejawu, 2023-03 · Strong recommendation · in “Shoshikantetsu”

  4. “I'm a huge fan of yearly themes, popularized by CGP Grey!”

    Yearly themes popularized by CGP Grey

    surprisetalk, 2023-11 · Strong recommendation · in “Ask HN: Did you achieve your 2023 goals?”

  5. “I prefer the "theme of a season" approach as espoused in this CGP Gray video”

    Seasonal theme approach as an alternative to goals

    JoeDaDude, 2020-06 · Recommendation · in “Starting Many Things”

  6. “you might want a CGP-Grey style Theme”

    Themes as an alternative to SMART goals

    afarrell, 2021-01 · Recommendation · in “Setting goals for 2021 – A brief guide about personal goal setting”

  7. “a video I think is specially relevant today”

    Relevant discussion of themes versus resolutions at new year

    mazokum, 2021-12 · Recommendation · in “Happy New Year HN! What are your plans for the new year?”

  8. “Check out this video on focusing on New Years "themes”

    Focusing on a yearly theme

    dv35z, 2022-12 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: What is your new year's resolution?”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: new year's resolutions, self-improvement, habits, productivity, themes

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