The only New Year's resolution you need [Editor's Opinion]

In his interview with Film Courage, American Cinematographer Brad Rushing says that at his worst moments, frustration and low self-esteem, he discovered a mental hack.

"There was a time early in my career (early on in the 90’s) where I was so frustrated and so down and didn’t believe in myself and I just had this revelation. You know what, I’ve set a goal. I don’t have to believe in myself. I just have to do the steps that I committed to doing to get me through the valley of the shadow of death and that worked for me. It was a device that worked," he says.

A lot of the time, projects and goals are burned with the bridge after crossing over into the new year. For whatever reason, they are not achieved in the set timeline and are thus left in the dust out of frustration, fear, guilt and other limitations.

At the start of the year, the excitment is in the air, promises are made and new goals set, but what is done to ensure that they work this time? Pumping up positive affirmations, buying gear, doing all rituals that are supposed to enhance the capacity to get things done...this time.

These include: learn a new skill, make time for yourself, stay organized with a To-Do list, practice gratitude, stay hydrated, have a better sleep schedule, among others.

These practices are good, healthy, recommended. But the truth is that people rarely or if ever, follow them. If they did, there wouldn't be an industry devoted to reminding them to practice them.

They are not independent goals, they are not goals at all. They are results of goals, a way of life of a certain quality. And that quality comes from overall goals, commitment, endurance, doing the hard stuff, consistency, bouncing back.

If you work on a long-term goal, you will automatically feel better, sleep better, learn something new in alignment with the goal, because of that sense of accomplishment from committing.

"Your identity is tied up in your work even if you don’t want it to be because you put so much of yourself into it and if it doesn’t do well or even if it does well...you're affected" he says.

This friction of self-esteem and the challenges that goals, dreams meet comes to a climax when the need for self-esteem overcomes the desire to accomplish something. Then resolutions come in to make one feel good and ready. And the cycle continues.

Sticking to the basics, the 1,2,3; a, b, c. The central driving force of any goal...

"But I remind myself of the contract that I made was that I wanted to be an artist, simple as that. I look at the work that I’ve done, I look at the work that I am doing and even if those people don’t like it or those people don't like it or even if everybody likes it and I don’t get a job or an award, it’s like you know what? You’ve got to do the work."

Perhaps this is what they mean when they say, 'you are your greatest enemy', the ability to destroy own plans, goals, projects in order to feel better.

A paradox. Because the content of resolutions is usually a reward of finishing things not starting a new year.