Category:

Write 52 Promises this Year

Think about all those small things you keep saying you’re going to get to one day. What if we combined all of those small tasks into one big New Year’s Resolution?

Here’s how it works:

The Founder of because I said I would and other supporters have successfully completed this type of New Year’s Resolution. Watch the videos below for examples and check out his big list of random things Alex finally got around to.

52 Promises 2013 Recap:

52 Promises 2014 Recap:

The Big List

The following is a list of the 52 promises that make up my 2013 New Year’s Resolution:

  1. Donate my clothes that I don’t wear anymore. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  2. Clean out the laundry room. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  3. Give blood. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  4. Put registration stickers on the kayak. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  5. Properly recycle all of the old electronics and batteries in the house. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  6. Mail Hallie a letter. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  7. Learn how to tie 5 new types of knots. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  8. Start a physical photo album with 100 of my favorite photos. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  9. Update my top 10 online accounts with more secure passwords. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  10. Start poker night. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  11. Pick a random house in Lakewood and do yard work for them. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  12. Get my dad’s lawn mower fixed. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  13. Prepare and postmark 50 personal thank you cards. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  14. Walk the furthest distance I’ve ever traveled on foot. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  15. Write my senator and congressman. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  16. Teach my grandma how to call me on Skype. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  17. Make kimchi. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  18. Watch Food Inc. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  19. Buy a veteran a gift to show appreciation for their service. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  20. Record my dog snoring. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  21. Plant a tree. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  22. Send flowers to my Grandma Kemp. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  23. Drink a glass of rain water. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  24. Sew a hole closed. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  25. Learn SOS in Morse code. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  26. Learn how to say “thank you” in 20 languages. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  27. Ride a bicycle to work. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  28. See how many numbers of Pi I can memorize. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  29. Make home cleaning products. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  30. Climb a tree. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  31. Change a baby’s diaper. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  32. Take an I.Q. test. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  33. Pick up trash on the side of the road. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  34. Watch “Gone with the Wind” for the first time. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  35. Create a last will and testament. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  36. Complete a pilot for a radio show with my friends. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  37. Create a “bucket list.” Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  38. Watch Paranormal Activity 4 alone. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  39. Make an appointment to see a doctor for an annual checkup. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  40. Teach someone how to throw a punch. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  41. Write a song. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  42. Learn how to make a pie from scratch. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  43. Build something out of wood. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  44. Change the posture of all of my chairs. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  45. Go to the Great Lakes Science Center for the first time. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  46. Create a series of graphs that describe how I spend my money. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  47. Draw a self-portrait. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  48. Learn how to play Euchre. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  49. Read a book about how to successfully run a nonprofit. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  50. Start a fire using primitive techniques. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  51. Make something useful out of trash. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  52. Learn how to select good produce. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
See More New Year’s Resolution Resources

My 52-week New Year’s Resolution

Update!

I made a post about this project on reddit.com on 12/28/12 and it went viral pretty quickly. We set a new record for most promise card requests in a day: 518! Thank you to everyone who voted on the idea and shared it through social media! I’ve received two media requests and look forward to sharing the message with those audiences. It make take me a while to process all these orders, but as sure as the sun will rise, I will.

My father tried to teach me the importance of staying true to your word, partially because I wasn’t great at keeping with a commitment. I think about my dad everyday and that memory helps me become a better person. I still have a long way to go, so for my New Year’s Resolution I will be completing one promise every week for 52 weeks. These 52 goals will help me grown and become a more well-rounded person. I will certainly be doing a number of charitable projects in 2013 for because I said I would, but those won’t be considered a part of this personal mission.

“You must be the change you want to see in the world.” – Gandhi

On Sunday of each week, I will pick a promise card at random out of a hat (a sombrero actually). I will fulfill that promise at some point during that week. The topic of each promise varies greatly, but they all tie back to a charitable cause that I will highlight on this website. Each week I will explain why I chose the goal and I will feature pictures and/or video of the promise in action. The following is a list of the 52 promises that make up my 2013 New Year’s Resolution:

  1. Donate my clothes that I don’t wear anymore. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  2. Clean out the laundry room. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  3. Give blood. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  4. Put registration stickers on the kayak. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  5. Properly recycle all of the old electronics and batteries in the house. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  6. Mail Hallie a letter. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  7. Learn how to tie 5 new types of knots. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  8. Start a physical photo album with 100 of my favorite photos. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  9. Update my top 10 online accounts with more secure passwords. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  10. Start poker night. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  11. Pick a random house in Lakewood and do yard work for them. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  12. Get my dad’s lawn mower fixed. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  13. Prepare and postmark 50 personal thank you cards. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  14. Walk the furthest distance I’ve ever traveled on foot. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  15. Write my senator and congressman. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  16. Teach my grandma how to call me on Skype. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  17. Make kimchi. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  18. Watch Food Inc. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  19. Buy a veteran a gift to show appreciation for their service. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  20. Record my dog snoring. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  21. Plant a tree. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  22. Send flowers to my Grandma Kemp. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  23. Drink a glass of rain water. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  24. Sew a hole closed. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  25. Learn SOS in Morse code. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  26. Learn how to say “thank you” in 20 languages. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  27. Ride a bicycle to work. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  28. See how many numbers of Pi I can memorize. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  29. Make home cleaning products. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  30. Climb a tree. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  31. Change a baby’s diaper. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  32. Take an I.Q. test. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  33. Pick up trash on the side of the road. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  34. Watch “Gone with the Wind” for the first time. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  35. Create a last will and testament. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  36. Complete a pilot for a radio show with my friends. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  37. Create a “bucket list.” Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  38. Watch Paranormal Activity 4 alone. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  39. Make an appointment to see a doctor for an annual checkup. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  40. Teach someone how to throw a punch. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  41. Write a song. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  42. Learn how to make a pie from scratch. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  43. Build something out of wood. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  44. Change the posture of all of my chairs. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  45. Go to the Great Lakes Science Center for the first time. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  46. Create a series of graphs that describe how I spend my money. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  47. Draw a self-portrait. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  48. Learn how to play Euchre. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  49. Read a book about how to successfully run a nonprofit. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  50. Start a fire using primitive techniques. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  51. Make something useful out of trash. Click here to watch the promise kept video!
  52. Learn how to select good produce. Click here to watch the promise kept video!