When it comes to resolutions, you always hear the same thing every year:

"This year, I'm going to say no."

"This year, I'm going to stop spending time on activities that don't matter."

The intent is great - but the execution leaves something to be desired.  Most of us want to say "no" more, but when we're back in the workplace grinding it out on a day to day, week to week basis, it's hard.  So we keep going to the same meetings, we keep getting dragged into work projects that aren't ours and really don't allow us to have impact, etc.

So how do you actually say "no" and stick to it?  

I think you need some examples for how the world is changing in other industries.  This is going to shock you, but I have one from sports.  Wait, ladies!  Don't leave.  There's an element of fashion to this as well.

One of the most recognizable figures in the world of sports is James Harden (pro basketball).  Harden's known for his style - outrageous outfits and an iconic beard - see the picture to the right.  He's also known for doing three things that deliver incredible results in today's version of basketball - he shoots three pointers, gets to the rim and gets fouled/shoots free throws with high efficiency.  More from Grantland:

"When Daryl Morey, the mad scientist of analytics, landed Harden in the trade of the decade, he not only got the superstar he coveted, he also acquired the perfect instrument for his basketball laboratory. Morey told Grantland that Harden “is a good fit here, but James would be a good fit with all 30 teams.” Be that as it may, the pair has become perhaps the most stylistically harmonious player-GM arrangement in the NBA over the last two months. By design or by happy accident, Harden plays a brand of basketball that beautifully conforms to his GM’s innovative visions.

Symbolically, Harden might be the most important player in the world. He’s a manifestation of the current trends in offensive basketball. The things that make him such an unusual superstar serve as a leaguewide harbinger of what’s to come.

By now, everyone knows that the Rockets’ offensive philosophy is built around 3s and paint shots; they avoid the midrange the same way Gwyneth Paltrow avoids Quiznos. As this chart shows, they invest heavily around the hoop and behind the 3-point line.

For Houston, even a below-average 3-pointer or paint shot is a better investment than a good shot in Kobe and Byron Scott’s hairy midrange neighborhood. As a result, the team scores a minuscule 6.2 percent of its points in the midrange, and is happy to sacrifice efficiency in its favorite spaces in favor of volume. While Bryant and Scott turn a blind eye toward the newfangled ways of the NBA, Morey and Harden bask in their glow."

So what, right?  Hold up - let me give you the picture below to show you the impact and make work-related comparisons (email subscribers enable photos or click through):

The chart to the left is the NBA league-wide.  Lots of 3's, lots of stuff at the rim, but a lot of stuff everwhere else, too.

The chart to the right is Harden's Rockets.  Lot's of threes, lots of stuff close to the rim, but almost nothing in between. The Rockets refuse to shoot mid-range jump shots because the further you move from the rim, the lower your shooting percentage drops.  But, at the 3-point line, you get 3 points instead of 2.  So the risk of moving that far out is worth it.  They like 3's, but if you're only going to give them 2 points, they're getting close to the rim come hell or high water.

Want work related examples?  I thought you'd never ask.  Here you go:

--Shots at the rim are the equivalent of routine work you know is essential and will return steady results if you focus on it.  You do this because it has a proven track record of driving revenue.

--3-pointers are the equivalent of new initiatives new project work that's strategic to your career and/or your company.  You won't be successful with this all the time, but when you are successful, it delivers a big pop.  Just like a 3.

--Everything in green within the chart to your left is the busy work, the stuff that distracts you from what's most important.  You should do less of this, because it's lower percentage, doesn't have upside and let's face it - if you're going to spend time on things that might not pay off, you may as well go for big wins - the equivalent of shooting from 3.

Harden and the Rockets have figured out the middle stuff hurts their pursuit of wins.  You should print this chart and put it near your desk to remind you to say no to crappy meetings, busy work you can say no to, etc.

Fear the Beard.