Whew! It’s been a minute. How are y’all? I am recovering from travel and a head cold, but otherwise OK. I feel the need to address the new year, so here goes…
Let me preface by saying that I dislike Mew Year’s resolutions. I think they set people up for failure.
First of all, if you’ve been putting off a goal, what makes January 1 the magic moment when you’ll stick to a plan? Secondly, what makes January 1 a special date?
I don’t know; I guess this concept is good for some, but almost everyone I’ve ever talked to that ‘set’ a New Year’s resolution ended up disappointing themselves.
But for the sake of argument and tradition, let’s go down the New Year’s resolution path.
Many people have health goals. Some have financial goals. Still others have relationship or professional goals.
What do your New Year’s resolution(s) look like? Do you consider this at all? Do you look at the new year as a fresh start?
Guess what folks? You get a fresh start every morning that you wake up alive!
Resolutions, goals, objectives, life plans, or whatever you want to call them should not be so daunting as to be unattainable. They should be a stretch, though. Also, goals should not have time limits…expiration dates. Guess what? Life happens and if you set a time limit, you might give up if you don’t achieve the goal by the set time.
You know what else is important when setting goals? A support system. If you are hanging out with people doing the activity that you are trying to stop… make new friends! For that matter, if you are the highest achiever in your friendship group, aspire higher.
How many goals should you have? The easy answer is one. One at a time. Set a list of 5-10 objectives to consider, but SET ONE goal to work on every day. If you’re a Rachel Hollis fan, you already know this. The point is to work on improvement, not to be overwhelmed by your shortcomings.
So how do you start? The most complete answer is to do a 360-degree assessment. Brian Dixon has referenced this concept in his coaching work and podcasts. This is done most commonly in professional settings, but you can use it for personal growth. You simply ask your friends, family, and coworkers to give you feedback. What are your 3 greatest strengths and what are your 3 greatest weaknesses?
But you can formulate your goals using a self assessment. But be honest with yourself because if you’re not, what good is it?
Lastly, if you KNOW you’re not going to attempt change, don’t start. Don’t set the goal. That is a recipe for disaster and disappointment. It’s like smoking cessation : you have to be ready to make a change. And if you’re not, that’s OK! Just own it.
I’m not gonna lie, 2019 was a pretty good year for me. But I’m looking forward to 2020 and trying to be the best ME I can be every day!
🥂