So someone on fedi mentioned that they were given the idea to do a new years bingo card, instead of a new years resolution. I kinda like the idea, since new years resolutions tend to be kind of vague, and far too large in scope; what the hell does “read more” even mean, anyway?

This gives you a bunch of smaller goals to work for, while also giving you the ability to see your progress. You can also reward yourself with little treats when you get a bingo (and a bigger one when you get a blackout, too!) You can even theme bingos around a central theme, though that seems like a huge pain in the ass and not worth it at all, since each item would have to connect with, at minimum, 3 other items philosophically.

Against my better judgment, here’s a tables.el table about it:

               
       B       
               
               
       I       
               
               
       N       
               
               
       G       
               
               
       O       
               
               
Walk 500k steps
  [0/912500]   
               
               
               
 Write 12 blog 
posts (3k min) 
    [0/12]     
               
               
Work attendance
goal 6mo [0/6] 
               
               
               
               
 Dishes [0/52] 
               
               
               
      Job      
 applications  
    [0/26]     
               
               
  Read 24 new  
 books/visual  
 novels [0/24] 
               
               
 Write 40k in  
 Visual Novels 
   [0/40000]   
               
               
               
Journal [0/52] 
               
               
               
   Meal prep   
    [0/26]     
               
               
               
Finish writing 
a visual novel 
     [0/1]     
               
               
    Review     
 subscriptions 
     [0/1]     
               
               
  Finish one   
large knitting 
 project [0/1] 
               
Make it through
 this year (If 
 it kills you) 
     [0/1]     
               
               
               
 Stove [0/26]  
               
               
               
Draw a picture 
    [0/52]     
               
               
               
  Finish and   
 frame a puzle 
     [0/1]     
               
               
  Update /now  
    [0/26]     
               
               
               
 Fix the damn  
  car already  
     [0/1]     
               
               
               
  Room [0/26]  
               
               
               
 Listen to new 
 music [0/26]  
               
               
               
 Do neat shit  
 (subjective)  
    [0/12]     
               
               
   Reinstall   
 desktop PC OS 
     [0/1]     
               
               
 Quit smoking  
     [0/1]     
               
               
               
               
 Fridge [0/12] 
               
               
               
   Make next   
 year's bingo  
  card [0/1]   
               

These are all smaller goals, but they’re more than I’ve been able to get myself to do in the past. I’m trying to be better in general, so I’m going to work on it, and keep track using a private copy of this table. If I change my mind on keeping that private I’ll update this, but if it’s June and you see 0s everywhere, that’ll be why.

Yes, some of this looks like a glorified chores list, but also I’m disabled and have been struggling for a while.

To note: These things should all be entirely within your control. Getting a new job isn’t entirely within your contorl, putting in job applications is (assuming you’re able to work).

If you’re setting money aside for treats as an award, then just note there are 13 bingos possible on a standard 25 square board. Budget appropriately!

Also remember that any one square is part of at least 3 bingos (4 for corners, 5 for the middle). If you don’t space things properly you could end up messing with possible bingos, and making it so that none of them are possible until the end of the year, which would be less fun.