Every year, at the beginning of the New Year, we make resolutions. We get excited and declare this is our year and say “This year I am will change (list of random goals).” We then commit for a time to do all the goals we have declared and then after a few days or months, we give up on our resolutions. We may not even remember what our New Year’s resolutions were by the end of the year.
I would like to propose a change that I believe will help. What if we never made another New Year’s resolution? I am sure you are thinking why I suggest the change. The reason is that most New Year’s resolutions are spur of the moment declarations with no actual plan. While there is nothing wrong with being a spur of the moment type of person, our goals that we want to accomplish require planning. If we talked to a business owner and asked, “How do you plan for the upcoming year at the end of the year?” A business owner would tell us that they review a trend of sales, look at the market and a number of other factors and then after much analysis, they would make projections for the next year. The point is that business owners plan their goals extensively for the upcoming year.
My suggestion is instead of making any more resolutions, we brainstorm what our goals will be for the upcoming year, figure out what our trends are in current state and then plan how we will reach our goals. Another key point is that we do this whole process before the New Year. Then when it is the first day of the New Year we put our plan towards our goals in motion.
For example, say we want to start an exercise program for the upcoming year. Two to three months before the New Year we complete the research of what we will need. We may need to buy new clothes, buy a gym membership, hire a trainer, get an account with a food preparation service, figure out what time is best to exercise or any number of other things. We compile our final list and then when the New Year begins us put our plan into action.
I believe that if this is how we approached the New Year that we would have a better chance of follow through and be able to achieve more of our goals. We have a few weeks before the New Year is upon us, let’s think of the first step of our plan to our goals for next year today. Then by the time the New Year is here we will be ready to leap towards our goals. So what are your goals? What are your first steps? What do you need to attain your goals for the next year? What are you waiting for? Get started on the path to accomplishing more. Make the next year the best year of goal completion.
