Why I'm Not Doing New Year's Resolutions — The 50/50 10/10 2/2 Challenge
By Steve Simonson
Private New Year's resolutions fail founders by February. Here's the public scoreboard alternative Steve Simonson runs with operators: the 50/50 10/10 2/2 Challenge.
Every December, founders write private goals that sound responsible: grow revenue, get healthier, network more, finally "work on the business." By February, most of those goals are gone.
That is not a character flaw. It is a design flaw. Private wishes have no scoreboard, no weekly cadence, and no social cost for quitting. Why New Year's resolutions fail is the same story every year — and operators feel it harder because the business always has a louder emergency.
So I stopped doing New Year's resolutions the old way. I run a public growth challenge instead.
The alternative: six numbers, twelve months, out loud
The 50/50 10/10 2/2 Challenge (yes, that is what 5050101022.com means) is simple on purpose:
- Meet 50 new sellers in person
- Read 50 books (audio counts)
- Extract 10 impact tactics from what you learn
- Aim for roughly 10% improvement on each
- Build 2 new marketing funnels or sales channels
- Add 2 people to your (currently non-existent) board of advisors
Start any day — January 1 is fine, March 17 is fine. Your twelve months begin when you commit publicly in the Catalyst88 community. That post is the scoreboard.
Why this beats a private resolution
| Private resolution | Public commitment | |---|---| | Lives in a notes app | Name on a community scoreboard | | Outcome-only ("hit $X") | Leading indicators you can do this week | | Quitting is free | Silence is noticeable | | Solo willpower | Peers running the same numbers |
If you want the full comparison, read resolution vs. public commitment. If you want the entrepreneur listicle version, start with New Year's resolutions for entrepreneurs or business New Year resolutions.
For the one-page pitch, use the New Year's resolution alternative guide — then join the challenge.
How to start (two minutes)
- Open the Catalyst88 community.
- Create your account (Google login works).
- Post your public commitment.
- Run the numbers for twelve months. Restart any week you fall behind — practice makes progress.
No score; no game. Put your name on six numbers.
Read the full challenge: 5050101022.com