New year resolutions, anyone?

How can we make new year resolutions work?

There is so much of negativity that is surrounding new year resolutions. Many people almost make it a new year resolution to not to make any more new year resolutions and in that particular case, they win 🙂

Before we even talk about new year resolutions, some questions to consider about the current year:

1. How do you rate yourself on your performance this year?

2. What were your key performance indicators and how did you fare in each one of them?

3. Were you successful this year? How do you know?

4. If these questions were asked next year same time, what could you do differently next year to have better answers for the same questions?

Obviosly we know that if we don’t change our practices, results won’t be different than this year. One option is to wait for something surrounding you to change – which might happen. However, you know that the only person that you will ever have control on changing is YOURSELF. So what could you do to change yourself in the new year to produce better results.

Here are some thoughts.

1. New year resolutions work.

It is all in your belief that will make them work or not work. Imagine a new year resolution. Let’s say the same resolution was given in the form of a directive from your workplace. Either you do it or your job is at risk. How would you treat that as compared to wishing something for yourself. The problem is not the promise but the fact that the promise was made to yourself. Start making the same promise to someone else close and put yourself on the line. Things will change dramatically.

2. Create a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

If you were a business, what would you track about yourself? How would you know that you were making progress? That comes in the form of KPIs. What would be a good set of performance indicators that when tracked will make you move towards your goals?

3. Decide and implement a reading plan.

If you have to reach your goals and if there is some knowledge that is missing, you know that you can acquire it by reading stuff. Is it hard to make a list of those books you should read next year that will move towards your goal. No, I don’t think so. You have all that information. How about you buy all those books in the holiday sale and get someone else to hold you accountable? How about if you promise to your colleagues that you will provide a summary of one book every month? Would that help? If not, what do you think will help and what is preventing you today to implement something that would help?

4. Develop the right relationships

If your dream is big, it is almost guaranteed that you need help from others to reach there. Do you have those relationships today? If not, what is your plan to establish them?

5. Mind your attitude

If you whine, you will get attracted to a set of people who either like to listen to whining or they are whiners themselves. What are the possibilities of reaching your goals in the company of whiners?

6. Mind your language

You are what you speak. Your language will determine your state of mind. Watch your language. Is it helping you today? If not, what could you change in the new year that might help?

7. Distinguish yourself

I started the series on distinguishing yourself ten months ago and there are now about 82 ways. Not everyone of them is applicable to everyone of you. That is not the point. Are there ones that you can identify with? Are there ones that are relevant to you? If you apply one or more of them to your life in the next year, would it make a difference in the next year? If yes, how would you hold yourself accountable to apply one or more of them next year?

I want to wish all of you happy holidays and a very happy and prosperous new year!