3 Steps to Successful Resolutions

 

We are just days away from a New Year. From talking with many friends and colleagues the consensus seems to be that 2012 was not an easy year for most. There is a great desire to see the end of this year and usher in 2013 – a new, fresh and hopeful year.

We have made it past Christmas. Most of the parties are over, the baking is gone and the credit cards have been put to rest. Next step – make resolutions for the New Year. Some of you may have given up on making resolutions because of the high degree of failure associated with them.

Thomas Edison said, “Vision without execution is Hallucination.” The reason why so many of us fail when we make a resolution is because we set a vision, but we fail to execute action steps that move us closer to our vision.

res·o·lu·tion

 1. The state or quality of being resolute; firm determination.

2. A resolving to do something.

3. A course of action determined or decided on.

If we look at the definition above and consider the third definition; what seems to be missing to transform resolutions from wishful thinking into reality are the words – acted upon. Whether you make a goal in the workplace or a resolution for your personal life, without a strong action plan in place that considers potential obstacles and how to overcome them, you may struggle to achieve what you set out to.

Consider this easy 3 step plan to help you make your resolutions reality in 2013.

1. Set a goal. Your goal should be specific and include some measurable, for example, how many pounds you want to lose or how much money you want to save. It should also include a date by which you intend to achieve it. The last thing to remember is that your goal should be realistic. If you set yourself up for failure, you will certainly become discouraged and decrease your chances of success. Let’s look at some examples:

Typical Resolution – I am going to be more healthy 2013.

Good Resolution – In order to achieve a healthier lifestyle I will commit to losing 15lbs by June 30^th, 2013.

2. Feel Accomplishment. Now that you have determined what you wish to achieve and a date for when you will achieve it, go forward to that date in your mind. Imagine that you have achieved your goal. What does it feel like? What are people saying to you? What can you do now that you could not do in the past? Are you wearing something special? Breathe that feeling in. Linking your mental goal to an emotional outcome will greatly enhance your ability to achieve it.

3. Consider Obstacles. Typically we set goals and have very good intentions of achieving them. Then an obstacle presents itself and we are not prepared to navigate it well. By being prepared and considering as many obstacles up front and planning a well thought out approach to overcome each obstacle that may appear, we will be well prepared to overcome these challenges. In considering the weight loss goal, here is a hypothetical example:

Obstacle – My annual corporate convention is two months into my goal time frame. It is always a great time with good food and lots to drink. Each year when I set this resolution I go to the convention and eat and drink a lot and then feel guilty. As a result of being down on myself I give up and wait until next year to make the same resolution.

 The Plan to overcome this obstacle if it presents itself – I will go to the convention as usual; however, I will choose to eat healthier options and I will limit myself to two drinks per night and drink soda water in between. I will shift my focus away from the food and drink towards the people and conversations. If I choose to have the occasional less than optimal food choice I will not feel guilty. When I return home I will resume my regular healthy lifestyle choices.

Go through as many obstacles as you can so that you can proactively plan to overcome each one of them. When you encounter an obstacle along the way, rather than going back to step 1 and adjusting your goal or giving up all together, go back to step 2 and “Feel Accomplishment.”  For athletes training for the Olympics, step two is the podium. They imagine themselves on the podium and feel how it will feel to hear their countries national anthem playing while they see their flag being raised in front of them. Going back to the emotional connection of your goal will help cement your commitment and keep you on track in a way that your mental goal alone cannot do.

I challenge you to make one resolution for 2013 and to invest the time to go through the three step process. Write down your thoughts and review it monthly or quarterly. This will keep you on track and on your way to a successful 2013 resolution. May 2013 bring you all that you hope and dream for!