Someday Day

Someday Day was founded in 2011 by Jessica F. Moore, a life coach and motivational speaker from Austin, Texas. Moore noticed that many of her clients had a pattern of deferring their deepest desires and ambitions to a vague 'someday' in the future. To combat this, she launched the 'Someday Project' and designated September 15th as a day for people to commit to one specific action they had been delaying.

The Foundational Catalyst

The idea sprouted from a personal experience: Moore's grandfather, a painter, always said he'd have his gallery show 'someday' but never did. After his passing, Moore found dozens of unfinished canvases. This loss drove her to create a movement that would push people to convert intention into action.

Legislative & Official Adoption

While not a government-recognized holiday, Someday Day gained traction through social media and partnerships with productivity apps like Todoist and Trello. In 2015, the city of Austin officially proclaimed September 15th as 'Someday Day' through a mayoral resolution, and several other municipalities followed suit.

Modern Global Legacy

Today, Someday Day is observed in over 20 countries. The day has evolved from a simple motivational nudge into a structured planning movement, with organizations hosting workshops and companies giving employees a 'someday pass' to work on personal projects. The core message remains: stop postponing what matters.

Celebrating Someday Day is about turning 'someday' into 'today'. Here are actionable strategies for individuals, schools, and organizations:

Individual Celebration

1. Identify One Dream: Write down one goal you've been putting off. It could be learning an instrument, writing a book, or starting a business.

2. Set a Tiny First Step: Break it down into a 15-minute task. For example, buy a notebook or watch a tutorial.

3. Schedule Accountability: Tell a friend or post on social media using #SomedayDay. Public commitment increases follow-through.

School & Workplace Activities

• Dream Board Contest: Students or employees create vision boards. Display them in common areas.

• Someday Hour: Allocate one hour for personal projects during work or class time.

• Guest Speaker: Invite a local entrepreneur to share how they turned a 'someday' into a career.

Corporate Celebrations

Companies like Google and Zappos have adopted internal events: Someday Grants where employees pitch a personal project for micro-funding, or Passion Project Showcases where staff display hobbies they've finally started.

Global Traditions

• Japan: Known as 'Yume no Hi' (Dream Day), people fly paper cranes with wishes written on them.

• Brazil: 'Dia do Futuro' involves planting a tree to symbolize growth and commitment.

• Australia: Community 'goal jams' where neighbors share goals and form accountability groups.

Someday Day directly tackles the psychological phenomenon of 'intention-action gap'. Research from the American Psychological Association shows that 70% of New Year's resolutions are abandoned within two weeks. The day leverages three key principles:

Reducing Decision Fatigue

By designating a specific day, Someday Day removes the mental burden of choosing when to start. External deadlines increase follow-through by 40% (University of Chicago, 2019).

Social Accountability

The communal aspect creates a social contract. A study in the Journal of Behavioral Medicine found that people who share goals publicly are 65% more likely to achieve them.

Overcoming Perfectionism

The 'first step' emphasis combats perfectionism. Analysis paralysis often stops people from starting. By celebrating imperfect action, Someday Day redefines success as initiation, not completion.

Technology has amplified the reach of Someday Day. Apps and tools now offer structured support:

• StickK: Users create commitment contracts with financial stakes.
• Day One: Journaling prompts for Someday Day reflections.
• Focusmate: Virtual coworking sessions to start projects together.

Social Media Movement

Twitter threads and Instagram stories with the hashtag #SomedayDay generate millions of impressions. In 2023, a thread on Reddit's r/GetMotivated gained 50,000 upvotes, where users posted the one thing they finally did.

AI-Powered Nudges

Startups like 'Clove' use AI to send personalized reminders on September 15th, asking users 'What's your someday?' and tracking progress. This data is aggregated to show the most common deferred dreams: travel, writing, fitness, and career change.

Procrastination on meaningful goals has measurable economic costs. A 2020 study by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor estimated that delayed business ideas cost the global economy $1.2 trillion annually in unrealized GDP growth. Someday Day aims to reduce this loss.

Personal Finance

Deferred dreams often lead to regret and lower life satisfaction. The Someday Index, created by the initiative, tracks the 'dream deficit'—the gap between aspirations and actions. In 2022, the index showed that 68% of adults have a major unstarted project.

Workplace Productivity

Companies that embrace Someday Day report a 15% increase in employee engagement scores (Gallup, 2023). Allowing personal project time reduces burnout and fosters innovation.

Despite its positive message, Someday Day faces critiques. Some argue it oversimplifies complex barriers like lack of resources or systemic inequality. A 2024 op-ed in The Atlantic pointed out that for many, 'someday' is not a choice but a necessity due to financial constraints.

Balancing Privilege

Organizers have responded by emphasizing micro-actions that cost little to nothing—like writing a single page or practicing a skill for 10 minutes. The Someday Initiative partners with community centers in low-income areas to provide free workshops.

Cultural Differences

In some cultures, collective goals are prioritized over individual dreams. The day adapts by encouraging family or community projects, such as renovating a shared space or learning a trade together.

As the observance grows, plans include:

• Someday Day Grant Program: Providing seed funding for the most compelling 'someday' projects submitted via a public vote.
• Partnership with Education: Integrating the concept into school curricula to teach goal-setting from a young age.
• Global Summit: A virtual event on September 15th featuring speakers from diverse fields sharing their 'someday' stories.

The long-term vision is to create a behavioral shift where 'someday' becomes a trigger for immediate action, not an excuse for delay.