We’re nowhere near the new year, but the resolutions are already beginning.

Did that r-word stress you out? You’re not alone. As we crawl out of the frigid short days at this time of year, the last thing we should be thinking about is the clock ticking over on December 31. But that’s exactly the mindset a certain corner of the internet has settled into.

About a month ago, conversations on TikTok began revolving around something called “the great lock-in”. With a third of the year still to come, people around the world declared, now was the time to set a fresh batch of goals and commit yourself to them anew. A lot can change in four months, if you want it hard enough. If you “lock in” from September 1 and establish good habits, you’ll be unrecognisable by the new year.

Credit: Robin Cowcher

On one hand, it felt like business as usual for our optimisation-obsessed culture. You can’t just play a fun word game any more, you........

© The Sydney Morning Herald