JAMES PATTERSON
Reading Resolutions by James Patterson New Year’s resolutions are hard, no doubt about it. Every year, we force ourselves to create resolutions that dictate how we’ll live our lives in the upcoming year. Workout more, eat less sweets, learn a new language, write 100 bestsellers—well, maybe that one’s just for me. But despite all of our best intentions, most resolutions are destined to fail—approximately 80 percent of our resolutions fail by the second week of February. We can’t even make it through two months! The odds are certainly stacked against us, especially when we live in such distracting times. And I’m not immune to the difficulties of keeping a resolution. By the time February rolls around, like 38
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clockwork, I suddenly remember why it’s so hard to keep a resolution: Because it’s a lot easier to stick to one when you have help—when you’re not just doing it for yourself, but for someone else, especially someone you love. Think about our kids. If you have children, most of your life, whether you want to admit it or not, revolves around making sure your children are safe, healthy, and happy. I certainly spend enough time thinking about our son, Jack. And to be honest, most of the time when I make New Year’s resolutions, I’m thinking about my future, for my kid.
