We hear a lot about New Year’s Resolutions this time of year. People share with us all kinds of resolutions, but we tend to hear the same ones over and over again.
- I want to lose weight.
- I need to pay off debt, especially all of these holiday purchases.
- I want to take a family vacation.
- I need to save for retirement (or just save money in general).
- At work, I will increase my sales, improve my attitude, and/or get along with my coworkers.
- I will spend less time on Facebook.
- I will spend more quality time with my family.
- I will try to get more sleep at night.
Do you set New Year’s Resolutions? Why or why not? I’ve never been a resolution setter. Why? Because I grew up in the personal development industry. In fact, I started my first goal-setting program when I was six years old. Six years old? Yep, you can never start too young. I don't set resolutions because I have written goals. I have clearly identified what I want to achieve and have a plan that outlines the steps from where I am now to where I want to be.
The reason most New Year’s Resolutions don’t last long is because there is no plan to accomplish them. In fact, a lot of people don’t even bother writing them down. I guess if you know you’re going to abandon the resolutions in a month or two anyway, what’s the point?
My suggestion is to ditch the New Year’s Resolutions this year. Set goals instead. I’m not talking about ideas in your head about what you want to accomplish. I’m talking about written goals, complete with action steps and deadlines. As Paul J. Meyer said, “Writing crystallizes thought and thought produces action.” When you start to put your goals on paper, you give yourself an opportunity to reflect more deeply about what you want and why you want it. In our Protecting Goals program, we’re reminded that “Without a deadline, a goal is not a goal.” I would add that without a deadline, we never start working toward achievement.
If you need assistance with the goal-setting process, SOS Leadership can help! We can take you through our Protecting Goals program, either in a group setting if you’re in the Austin area or individually through one-on-one coaching. If you’re interested, visit our web site to learn more and contact us today.
I’ll close by encouraging you again to schedule some time to reflect on 2010. Think about what you accomplished this year. What brought you the most joy this year? How were you challenged? What did you learn this year?
Now visualize 2011. What will it take to make 2011 your best year ever? How will your life be better if you achieve the goals that matter most to you? What relationships will you commit to strengthening during this new year? Who will you forgive? How will you hold yourself accountable for being the person you long to be?
Special blessings from all of us at SOS Leadership as Christmas approaches!
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