In November 2009, an American science fiction disaster film, 2012, was released to the market. The film, with John Cusack as the leading actor, attempted to finally bring into the viewers’ consciousness the oft-repeated concern of some people, the possible ending of the world as we know it on December 21, 2012. There are lots of doomsday theories surrounding the 2012 phenomenon, all supposedly built around the ending of the Mayan calendar. However, the 2012 film, which raked about $770m in revenue, was built around the apocalypse that would follow the effect of neutrinos from a massive solar flare believed to cause the temperature of the Earth’s core to rapidly increase. The producers of the film must have chosen this particular theory based on the current velocity of the world politics with respect to global warming and climate change. Little wonder they boldly wrote on the film’s cover: We Were Warned.

Owing to this film, and several claims of its kind, several people are already giving up hope of planning and living their lives. Polls, conducted across many countries, have shown serious apprehension in terms of fear and anxiety in people as per the ‘end of the world’. Some are already asking if they should kill themselves and their families so as to escape the agony of the apocalypse. These set of people definitely care less of the incoming year 2013, if it ever comes.

Should you care? Is there any need to start noting your goals for the new year and maybe the next five years?

If you don’t believe in the Mayan calendar or the usual doomsday tales, it is time to commence planning for the new year. Goal setting requires introspection, real self talk and time since choosing the right goals to begin with is harder than the process of setting goals. Aside the fact that goals make you accountable, they particularly drive you forward with laser focus on your life. The just departed Zig Ziglar used to say that a goal properly set is halfway reached……..and that goals don’t care who has them. The whole month of December is yours to review the outgoing year, and to start designing for the incoming one. Dare yourself with that business, that career switch, that relationship, that weight loss and that additional degree you have been dreaming about. Dare to succeed. Let the new year count.

In truth anyway, many scholars of the Mayan history, and even the Mayan people of Guatemala, are decrying the association of their calendar with the end of the world. To them, there is no link of the cataclysmic events of the end of time with the calendar. If you are religious, rather believe in the eschatology of your faith, and if your belief is in pure science, take solace in the NASA repudiation of the 2012 apocalypse claims (check the NASA points here). All should instead focus on making the new year more fulfilling.