How To Create a New Year's Resolution Carpe Factum Style
Wow... having a week off from blogging on this site has been a great break to spend with family and close out some year-end business activities, but I needed to close out the year with some final thoughts. Now is the time when people are going to be making New Year's Resolutions... those happy little goals they think will help them have a better 2008. Most will be broken by January 2nd.
If you are serious about goal setting for the next twelve months, let's sit down and do this the right way, OK?
- Do an honest self-assessment of where you are right now... what is going wrong, what is going right, what needs to stay, what needs to be hurled out the window. Making any type of goal or resolution isn't going to do you any good if you don't honestly assess your perception of the status quo.
- Take ownership of what you can change. Getting along better with your family may be a great resolution unless you are related to a bunch of dysfunctional sociopaths. About the only thing you can resolve to do in that case is a) tune them out; b) avoid them; c) drink heavil before family gatherings (not really recommended). If you are going to change something in 2008, make sure it's something you can change.
- Address problems and opportunities, not symptoms. Saying that you want to begin arriving on time to things is great (I love punctuality); however, if that is merely a symptom for your lack of organization or an issue with holding yourself accountable, then you may be solving the wrong problem.
- Know your core values. I create at least one specific goal for each area of my life: faith, relationships, business, self. If you are very family-oriented, making goals about working long hours at the office to move ahead may just end up making you (and those around you) very miserable. This will also gauge your passion that it will take to reach the goal.
- Have a specific "deliverable" in mind. What is something tangible (and achievable) that will tell you that you've arrive? The popular resolutions are losing weight (or getting fit) and getting organized. How about saying that you will reach your target weight of 200, or that you will be able to park both cars in the garage? A law enforcement friend gave me the physical requirements to get onto the police force, so I'm using those as my fitness goals for the year (and can I just say that push-ups and sit-ups suck royally).
- Identify roadblocks and develop a plan to deal with them. Do you have naysayer friends who shoot you down? Are there office politics standing in your way? Do you need to take classes to get educated to meet your goal? Identify and obtain the resources needed to help you overcome your roadblocks.
- Find cheerleading accountability partners. You will want people who will ask you the tough questions and then (gently) bust your chops if you are not giving the right answers. You want these same people to cheer you on in your quest to meet your goals, those who will celebrate with you when you arrive.
So... when the ball drops, the champagne glasses clink, and the kiss of the new year has been given, you will be ready to face your New Year's Resolution with New Energy... and I wish you all the best as you "seize the accomplishment" in 2008!