It’s January. That can mean only one thing. New year’s resolutions are back in force, not only because it’s a new year but a new decade also. But it doesn’t seem to really matter what year, decade or century it is (or any other milestone you can think of for that matter). Statistically, the vast majority of new year’s resolutions get broken within a month of making them. Hardly surprising perhaps; it’s easy to make a resolution, so it’s bound to be easy to break them too.
You’d think that in 2010, we’d have all wised up when it comes to making goals and sticking to them, but year on year we put ourselves through this yearly ritual, fueled by magazines, media types, self-help gurus and bloggers (yes, I’ve been guilty of it in my early days). The problem isn’t setting the goals (though actually even that can sometimes be a pain as I shall discuss shortly), it’s how you’re actually going to achieve them, but the NYR (as I shall refer to it from now on) has been around for so long that it’s impossible to change the general perception of what is required from it. In many ways it’s like a simple to-do list. People think it’s enough to just write down or declare everything that needs doing and they will be miraculously energized to take action. Unfortunately it’s only one part of a bigger solutions, not the full answer.
And then there is all the expectation attached to it. Oh my, so much expectation and enthusiasm! If only I could harness the energy I feel at the start of a new year and spread it out evenly over the entire twelve months I’d be… well, amongst many things, I’d be a very happy and fulfilled person. Unfortunately, NYR enthusiasm is very much like an overinflated balloon (probably blown up by a very drunk person at 11.59PM on New Year’s Eve). Let’s set silly, over-reaching goals for the year and act all surprised when it pops in our face! All it takes is one cigarette a few day’s later or getting tempted by that juicy bun with the strawberry on top two weeks from now, and that balloon will go byebyes. Oh well, there is always next year… The result? Another person who doesn’t have a clue how to achieve their goals, dreams and aspirations.
The new year is a great time to re-evaluate your aims, wipe the slate clean where necessary and make realistic, achievable goals backed up by concrete, clearly defined steps to help you achieve them… just not flaky wishlists because you felt like it. It’s sounds geeky, it sounds serious and businessy, but people never quit bad habits or make big changes in their life by fooling around. There is something about the human psyche that loves a new start (even if in reality, it’s the same old you just carried over to the next year) so this year don’t make the same mistakes of the past – set some smart goals, but please don’t call them new year’s resolutions (though, feel free to suggest alternative names).
If you want more on how exactly to create such goals be sure to check out my next post on Thursday. Subscribe to the feed, follow me on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook to get notified and stay up to date.
January 5, 2010 at 12:56PM
Spot on post! Starting a new diary is not why you should makes changes – that is no motivation. You should keep to your goals, and make changes because you WANT TO! That way there is more chance you’ll stick to them.
January 5, 2010 at 06:00PM
Exactly, Rich. If you really, really want to quit smoking or you really want to clear the debt on your credit cards, then you’ll do it right now, not when it’s a new year. Sure, as I said in the post, we love a fresh, new start but it’s not so motivational that we have to put things off for weeks or months just so we can use the new year as a springboard.
January 5, 2010 at 11:12PM
I do also hate the word resolution, but yes, I do find that setting goals for the new year ahead quite exiting.
But like you said, you’re at a new year’s party having a few and you announce to everyone I going to quit smoking because you just thought of it… FAIL.
Instea,d if this was me, it would be more like, “What is the one thing that would make me better by end of next year? Is it quitting smoking? OK, by the end of the next year I will not be a smoker.” With this mindset, you’re are not desperately puffing on your last cigarette at 11.59PM only to light up next day because of a wicked hangover!
Instead, you now have a daily affirmation that you can use to slowly ease yourself out of this addictive habit. It may take a month, it may take whole year, but it’s all about having a plan of attack that suits you.
Happy new year!