Resolve to be resolute

January is the traditional time for setting New Year’s resolutions.

We resolve to quit smoking, exercise more, eat healthier, save money, pay off credit card debt, spend more time with loved ones, learn a new hobby, lose weight, travel to a dream destination, volunteer at a local charity, read more, be kinder, or improve in any number of other ways. Closing the chapter on the prior year and starting the new one out with better habits and loftier goals is both appropriate and admirable, even if we aren’t always perfect in achieving them.

But this year, consider shortening your list of New Year’s resolutions and committing instead to be more resolute. A resolute person is admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering in whatever noble aspirations she or he decides to pursue.

In 1880, Queen Victoria gifted a hand-crafted double pedestal partners’ desk to President Rutherford B. Hayes as a token of friendship between their two countries. Used by many U.S. presidents since, this ornate desk has been in place for some of our country’s most important decisions and historic meetings. It’s called the “Resolute Desk” because it was fashioned from the timbers of a British vessel named the Resolute.

The Resolute Desk became a pop culture icon when it was featured in the 2007 film “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” starring Nicholas Cage. In the movie, the desk was the location of a critical clue leading to a massive hidden treasure. The story is fictional, but the Resolute Desk and the ship from which it was created are not.

The British ship called the Resolute was part of an 1852 Arctic rescue expedition sent to find Sir John Franklin, who had become lost trying to discover the Northwest Passage. The Resolute became stuck in the ice and had to be abandoned. Most assumed it would be pummeled by harsh winter storms and eventually sink, never to be seen again. However, three years later, an American ship found and retrieved it. Then Congress appropriated money to restore the ship and sent the Resolute home to Queen Victoria. After the Resolute was decommissioned 25 years later, Queen Victoria repurposed the ship into the desk that has since taken on a life of its own with an arguably even nobler purpose than before.

So, what are the benefits of being a resolute person? Why should we cultivate that attribute?

Well, one of the more obvious benefits is developing the ability to actually follow through on your resolutions and achieve your goals. That’s because a resolute person is a purposeful and determined person, someone who has a strong desire to accomplish something good and won’t let anything get in the way.

Another more subtle benefit of being resolute is the strength to identify and ignore distractions in order to focus on what matters most in life. A resolute person begins with the end in mind, then fosters the self-discipline required to avoid the inevitable diversions and interruptions that constantly seek to knock us off course, disrupt positive momentum, and hinder our progress.

Resolute people are also trustworthy. They’re reliable because they can be counted on to keep their promises. They’re constant, faithful, and loyal. As a result, resolute people are also usually quite adept at nurturing relationships of trust with others, a key to success in anyone’s life.

Resolute individuals are principled people, too. They have a strong sense of core moral values. Once resolved on a course of action, they are very determined not to change their minds or to be dissuaded from doing what they know to be right.

Resolute people almost always make a positive impact for good in the world as well. They remain steadfast and immovable, always abounding in good works.

Another advantage of being resolute is the ability to hold on when things get tough, to be a problem-solver, and to overcome life’s inescapable trials, tribulations, obstacles, and challenges.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, resolute people know that our origins and our failures don’t forever define who we really are. No matter where we began this life or how often we have faltered along the way, there’s still time to finish writing the end of our stories.

Like the ship the Resolute and the Resolute Desk that it ultimately became, the world is full of people who thought they knew their purpose, made bad decisions, then took advantage of second or third or even fiftieth chances to dramatically change their life for good.

Like the Resolute, most of us have sailed into life’s icy storms with determination but discovered we couldn’t successfully navigate them alone. But if we’re humble and resolute enough, we can experience the mighty change from proud sailing vessel, to abandoned and broken, to a completely new creature with a better purpose beyond anything we ever imagined.

Yes, it takes courage to be resolute. To stay the course regardless of the obstacles. To acknowledge our mistakes. To get back up every time we fall down. And especially to change for the better. That transformation is often painful. But it’s also an eternal blessing. And best of all, it’s available to everyone who’s willing to embark on the journey of becoming a resolute person.