There seems to be a lost appreciation for the once-honoured New Year’s resolution. It’s become passé, an easy punching bag to target amidst holiday party small talk. Over the years, I’ve learned to feign a polite smile every time I hear some iteration of, “You know, I read that only 25 percent of people quit their resolution by the end of the first week.” But truth be told, I remain a staunch defender of the New Year’s resolution.
I like the ceremony of opening the fresh page of a notebook and writing down aspirations for the coming year. I like the accountability that comes with vocalizing them. And most of all, I like the objectivity of having the clock start at a specific time. Sure, January 1st is an arbitrary date to kick-start self-improvement (one of the many criticisms vaulted to me), but aren’t all benchmarks for improvement arbitrary (books read in a year, screentime reduced, family trips taken, etc.)? Does that make them any less valuable?
Maybe it’s the “runner” in me. After all, it’s a sport that revolves around creating arbitrary benchmarks for success and placing them far, far on the horizon. But attaching goals to particular moments in our lives dates back centuries, to Chinese antiquity and the Roman Stoics, so why are we so eager to abandon it? I think it’s the fear of being grouped into the dreaded 25 percent — those who toss the resolution aside once it feels unsustainable. But it’s not so much the fulfilment of the goals that I find so admirable but the willingness to pursue them.
Entering into a new NHL season, SHARP sat down with Maple Leafs star William Nylander. The last time we saw him, he was skating off the ice following a Game 7 overtime loss to the rival Boston Bruins. For both fans and players alike, it marked a heart-wrenching end to the season. But speaking to Nylander on the heels of the disappointment, his goals remain undeterred: win it all, at any cost. It’s the type of ambitious, hard-nosed conviction that defines those who break out of the “25 percent club.”
As we close out the year with our Winter 2025 issue, the SHARP staff is keeping our heads on a swivel, looking forward alongside those like Nylander and our cover star, Regé-Jean Page, who details the roles he hopes to capture along the arduous journey to Hollywood success. At the same time, we look back and celebrate those who — against all odds — managed to surpass even the most aspirational benchmarks in our annual SHARP Watch and SHARP Auto “Best of the Year” awards. We also tap into the minds of tastemakers who can help direct the goals you might want to set, from culture critics Chris Black and Jason Stewart, to Michelin-recognized chef and creative director, David Schwartz.
Throughout our most jam-packed issue of the year, SHARP’s scope is wider than ever before. But what each of these individuals and companies have in common is a pursuit. It can be that simple. And if you so happen to find yourself stumbling through your goals by January 7th, well, January 8th is as arbitrary and as perfect a time as ever to pick them back up. So, if you bump into me at a holiday party, feel free ask about my resolutions. I’ll have them written down.
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