Another year ended, and a new one began. As usual, I was asked, “So, have you made a New Year’s resolution?”
Normally, I don’t do them. Sure, I try to improve as a person, but past attempts at ‘resolutions’ typically met with abject failure. Not always immediate failure, but eventually … yeah, I just run out of steam.
I think some of it comes down to the difficulty in making new habits. If you can get past a certain number of days or repetitions, then the change is more likely to stick. I usually don’t make it that far.
The other reason is the date on which we’re pushed to muster this new resolve. Personally, it seems the older I get the less relevant some traditions feel. I mean, I get why people celebrate special days, but the marking of a new year has always seemed kind of arbitrary to me. Why start on January 1? And why try to establish a new pattern right when work is ramping back up with a fresh set of demands already loaded?
I suppose I could look up the reason January 1st marks the beginning of a new year, but I don’t care enough. And even if I did look it up, how would I go about doing so?
Oh yeah, by simply taking out the phone in my pocket or using the computer at my fingertips. Still, if I chose to do either, the answer would be a suggested link or a condensed answer provided by whatever artificial intelligence my particular browser uses. And do I trust that? Should I?
If it isn’t painfully obvious yet, this is all just a rambling preface to what I really want to say, so I’ll get to the point already. If I were to make a New Year’s resolution it would be this: I shall finish the game.
So, what do I mean by that?
Well, for the past few years, like most of you, I’ve been inundated by the rise of artificial intelligence and how it’s going to revolutionize the world and take away so many jobs. Lately, among the artist and writer communities, I’ve seen AI become an ongoing point of contention and division.
Some say it democratizes art and allows everyone to realize their artistic vision. Others say it’s a blight—an affront to our very humanity. At the rate it’s going, some folks say it’ll soon be impossible to tell AI written novels from human written ones. Others predict AI will write better novels than humans.
As for me, I’m not sure. The truth is likely somewhere between the extremes. Hopefully the overall impact will be positive, but, as I said, I’m not sure. All I really know is I’m going to make art regardless of what happens with AI.
Because I believe writing and making art is important whether it’s met with “success” or not. (Success can be defined many ways, so I’ll leave that to each of you, individually.) I had to ask myself long ago if I’d still write and make art if no one ever read or enjoyed my work. The answer was soon obvious: Yes, absolutely!
Matter of fact, I can’t not do it. Something in me needs that creative release. My peace of mind demands that I make art of some kind. It helps keep me sane. And none of those are gross exaggerations. My wife can attest to the fact that I get downright miserable without an artistic outlet. (Thank you, sweet girl, for allowing me time to make art. Your sacrifices and patience are appreciated and definitely don’t go unnoticed.)
So, yeah, I’d make art whether or not anyone besides me and my Creator ever enjoyed it. Do I want others to enjoy it? Sure, but that’s not the driving force.
Likewise, AI written or assisted novels aren’t a reason I would ever consider stopping.
Even if AI develops beyond the Large Language Models to truly become something intelligent and we’re all thrust into a fight for the very survival of humanity itself, I’m just gonna keep on making art. Mind you, I’ll defend myself in the process, but I’ll keep on making art.
Even if the Terminator comes crashing through a wall while I’m typing away at my latest story, I’m just gonna raise my shotgun, try to kill it first, then keep on making art.
Even if it’s a T-1000 and immediately recovers to blast me right in the face as I type the final word on what would’ve otherwise been my breakthrough novel, I’m just gonna keep on making art. (Oh wait a minute, it just shot me in the face. I suppose I’d stop making art at that point. At least on this earthly plane of existence. But you can bet I’ll be doing something creative when I enter the Ever-Life. So, yeah, I was right the first time. Even if I get shot in the face by a T-1000 terminator, I’m just gonna keep on making art!)
So, with that gory image in mind, and the arrival of this seemingly arbitrary date marking the start of 2026, I’m reminded of a line from another movie I saw decades ago. Young Guns 2. (A sequel every bit as great as the original!)
Look, I know it wasn’t high art. But it didn’t have to be in order to lodge down deep in my brain. Somehow the words of the main character stuck with me. In one iconic scene, Billy the kid (played by Emilio Estevez) says, “I shall finish the game.”
Again, if I were one for New Year’s resolutions, I suppose that would be mine. For 2026 and beyond, “I shall finish the game.”
Let me die with my boots on. Forging ahead. One finger on the trigger and all the others on a keyboard. Regardless of what life throws at me: success, opposition, or total indifference.
I mean bad news is around us all the time. Seems like it always has been. I’ve survived the predicted ‘end of the world‘ too many times to count. Social media, the news, folks around us, and even our own words (if we’re not careful) will likely keep feeding us doomsday ‘what if’ scenarios. And maybe there is a lot to be wary of …
Still, as a Christian, I know the God of all creation. And I know He hasn’t given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7, paraphrased)
Sure, there’s a lot I can’t control. But I’ve also been given authority as a child of God. I’m a co-creator with the Almighty, and as such, I have more authority and power than any artificial intelligence or worldly circumstance can ever wield over me. And while I know life can throw all kinds of curveballs, I also know you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. You can’t hit the ball if you won’t swing the bat. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. So regardless of what AI, this world system, or anything, tries to give or take away, I refuse to allow fear to run my life.
Maybe that’s yet another way to state my resolution, my resolve: For however many days I have left, I choose to live with courage. Again, to put it in spiritual terms, “I choose Faith over fear.” I’m gonna keep following Jesus. I’m gonna keep making art and telling stories. I shall finish the game. (That’s a link to a YouTube clip from the movie.)
And I encourage you to do the same. Whatever you’re passionate about, whatever gives you a sense of purpose, or simply brings you joy… just keep on doing that. Love the people around you, love the One who loves you with perfect love, live fearless and free.
Here’s to 2026!
Peace, and may this new year bring you an abundance of joy and blessings,
John Stacy Worth