New Year Resolutions – Turning ‘I should’ into ‘I did’

As the novelty of a new year wears out and reality kicks in I used my down time to think about my new year resolutions. earlier this month at a new years even party, the question of New Year’s resolutions gently bubbled up sparking mixed reactions. While some talked excitedly about their desire for transformation, others prefer to take life as it comes. It made me wonder if new year resolutions are still relevant.

Being a result oriented person, I absolutely geek out over New Year’s resolutions. I mean, who doesn’t love scribbling down a fancy to-do list for the universe!

Not only does it give us a chance to acknowledge and celebrate our achievements, but it also provides an opportunity to reflect on how, where and why we faltered and stumbled. That life’s journey is replete with lessons, and it’s through the trials and errors that we grow and develop. And that growth often comes dressed in the cloak of failure.

Historically speaking, engaging in the tradition of setting New Year’s resolutions goes hand-in-hand with the deep cultural and emotional importance placed on new beginnings. The million-dollar question? How de we make these resolutions stick? Is it super glue, magic, or sheer stubbornness?

Before we jump headfirst into the how, let’s explore the main pitfalls of making resolutions that often lead to disappointment.

Setting goals can be an exciting process, but there are common pitfalls that hinder our progress. Below are five usual suspects that trip us up, and how we can sidestep them to maintain momentum:

1. Casting Pie-in-the-Sky Goals – While ambition can fuel progress, setting goals that are too lofty can lead to significant disappointment and a sense of failure. For example, aiming to become a bestselling author within a year when you haven’t yet finished writing your book sets an unrealistic standard that, when unmet, can discourage you from writing altogether.
2. The ‘All or Nothing’ Trap – Viewing your journey as all or nothing can cause unnecessary pressure and a skewed perception of failure. Imagine someone dieting who has one cheat meal and then decides their entire diet is ruined, leading to complete abandonment of healthy eating.
3. The Lure of the Crowd – It’s often easy to get swept up in what’s trending and shape your goals around public opinion, losing sight of what’s truly important to you. For instance, you might find yourself striving for a digital nomad lifestyle because of its popularity online, even if you genuinely crave stability and routine.
4. Lack of System – Without a structured system or plan, even well-intentioned goals can quickly become overwhelming. An example of this is a person who vows to ‘get organized’ but has no method to approach the clutter, resulting in a chaotic attempt that yields little to no progress.
5. The Comparison Game – Comparing your progress to others can be disheartening, leading to decreased self-esteem and motivation. Take an entrepreneur who constantly measures their startup’s success against a competitor’s, ignoring their own unique context and milestones, potentially spiraling into demotivation and burnout.

Steering away from these stumbling blocks can significantly improve your goal-setting experience. Keep these insights in hand and watch how they bring about a transformative impact on your personal and professional pursuits. Now for the how!

Goal-Setting Reinvented – Embracing a well-structured plan for setting objectives, which involves precisely articulated, attainable targets within a defined timeframe, can significantly boost drive and responsibility. Opting for SMART criteria is an excellent kickoff. This acronym stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound. Despite its widespread usage, the SMART technique has been critiqued for allowing room for misinterpretation, such as the risk of setting overly modest benchmarks and considering them as achievable. Remembering a few pivotal points can optimize the goal-setting process.

Moving beyond the traditional SMART framework, which is a staple in business but less adaptable to personal aspirations, we can explore an alternative: PACT goals. Emphasizing the journey over the destination, PACT stands for goals that are Purposeful, Actionable, Continuous, and Trackable. These elements ensure that your goals align with your deepest values and can be pursued consistently with clear actions.

When it comes to setting goals, less is often more. Imposing a cap on yourself with a maximum of three concurrent goals can exponentially increase your chances of triumph. This strategy simplifies your focus and wards off the paralysis that comes from being overwhelmed. By investing your efforts in a limited cluster of objectives, each goal gets the dedicated attention and nurturing it needs to flourish. Prioritization becomes key — select your goals with unflinching honesty, ensuring they resonate with your fundamental beliefs and passions.

Strategize with Systems – Goals give you direction, but systems propel you forward. Think of systems as your daily travel companions on the road to achievement. If your aspiration is to pen a novel, devise a daily writing ritual or a schedule for regular research. Inspired by James Clear’s wisdom in “Atomic Habits,” we learn the importance of structure. Familiarize yourself with the four laws of behavior change: make it obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying to etch productive habits into your life. The end goal? A robust framework for success. For a deeper dive and practical tools, the Atomic Habits book website is your treasure trove, including cheat sheets to enhance your system-creating skills. Creating lasting habits isn’t just about willpower—it’s about smart strategy. Embrace the power of targeted planning to make new routines stick like glue. Picture this: your gym clothes, neatly laid out the night before, calling your name at dawn. Such small acts of preparedness are a silent cheerleader for your commitment, setting up not just your environment but also your mind for success.

Now, let’s talk about the magic of Habit stacking. Imagine seamlessly weaving a new thread into the fabric of your day-to-day life. It’s like adding a splash of milk to your morning coffee; it just fits. Pick a habit you’ve mastered—say, your cherished morning coffee ritual—then couple it with an aspiring habit, like reading a few pages of a book. This blend of new and old creates a rich tapestry of routines that are as robust as they are rewarding. Habit stacking doesn’t just build habits; it builds a better you, using the momentum of your existing patterns.

Embrace Each Triumph – Revel in the joy of little triumphs! Every step forward, no matter how minor, deserves recognition. Striving for perfection is less important than acknowledging and honoring the journey itself. Show yourself compassion and understand that stumbling blocks are simply milestones in disguise. By breaking down larger endeavors into bite-sized pieces, you turn daunting tasks into delightful challenges. When faced with setbacks, adopt a mindset of growth and resilience. See these moments not as stumbling blocks, but as steppingstones to greater mastery and success.

Align Goals with Personal Values: It’s vital to comprehend and prioritize your own standards to set goals that reflect your authentic self-interests. By doing so, you commit to pursuing aspirations that hold personal significance, steering clear of being influenced by societal pressures. Formulate objectives that are a true reflection of your own ambitions and passions and are not exclusively rooted in the pursuit of outside approval.

Set Clear Boundaries: Define and share your objectives and limits with those around you. This clarity will assist in aligning external expectations with your priorities. Master the Art of Declining. Feel empowered to refuse extra responsibilities that aren’t aligned with your goals. This ensures you keep a healthy equilibrium between your own ambitions and the demands of others.

Continuous Reflection: Consistently review your objectives to confirm they resonate with your core beliefs and future ambitions. Adapting them when needed allows you to stay aligned with your true self amidst various external influences, preserving the genuineness of your endeavors.

Embark on Your Own Odyssey and Cherish Uniqueness: Embarking on your unique odyssey, honor your own milestones and growth. Comparison can be a thief of joy, so relish the fact that no two journeys are the same. Understand that your key to success may not fit someone else’s lock. Let the triumphs of others spark your motivation, not your envy. Draw on their stories and distill wisdom to forge ahead on your own quest. In spotlighting your individual achievements and the steps you’ve taken, you eclipse the unproductive shadow of comparison, keeping your eyes on the prize that is solely yours. Oh! and Practice Gratitude. Acknowledge your accomplishments and be grateful for your journey. Focusing on what you’ve achieved can counteract the urge to compare.

May your 2024 soar to new heights, filled with joy and success!