Committing To and Succeeding With Your New Year’s Resolutions

By Carole Nicolaides, Copyright © 2003, All Rights Reserved
http://www.progressiveleadership.com

What is the problem with New Year’s resolutions? They are supposed to symbolize a new beginning, hope of doing things better, having more fun, and improving energy and success levels in our lives. Yet, so many people abandon them within a month (or earlier).

If you’re like I used to be, you might have stopped creating resolutions all together because you never followed through with them. I had given up hope of ever fulfilling a resolution. Well… until I discovered two important secrets.

First, before you commit to any new goals you need to work on some of your old issues. Clearing out the old enables you to make room for new and better things to come into your life. Second, if you focus your resolutions around your strengths, and not on what you want to improve, you have way better changes in succeeding.

As an Executive Coach, I’ve worked with many corporate leaders as well individuals to help them set goals and work on strategies in order to achieve their New Year’s plans. What I find most often is that the goal is too broad. On their “to do” lists they have things such as: make more money, reduce debt, have less conflict at work, find security in my career, lose weight, etc.

Nothing is wrong with these resolutions, yet they are not enough to inspire you or help you remain committed. To be successful with fulfilling your New Year’s resolutions, consider the following:

1.Develop a list of all unresolved matters in your personal and professional life. Clean up your unresolved matters before committing in any new goals. Make space for new opportunities to come into your life. Use the 3-D’s: do it on your own, delegate it, or dump it all together.
2.Identify people and things that drain energy from you such as unhealthy relationships, addictions, or habits. By identifying these energy drainers you are half way through actually eliminating them from your life. Develop an action plan for getting rid of them completely. This is not easy to do so you may wish to seek outside help. You can work with a friend, mentor, or personal coach. Use resources, strong will, meditation or whatever it takes to get rid of these negative drainers.
3.Identify mental blocks that might keep you from achieving your goals. One of the biggest mental blocks is FEAR. Identify what is causing your fear. Once you identify what you are actually afraid of, you are better equipped to deal with it.
4.Get a real picture of what you want for next year. Draw a picture. Imagine all the things that you want. Imagine yourself and your friends in this new picture. What are the thoughts and feelings once you visualize it? Write down all your thoughts and start working on combining a plan of how you can get there. Incorporate things that will push you faster toward your destination.
5.Set goals that focus on your strengths. Be crystal clear on your strengths. What do you really like to do? What comes easily to you? What do your fans rave about when they mention you? If you are not clear about your strengths, I highly suggest you work with someone who can help you identify them. It can be an eye opening experience. Once you have identified your strengths, set goals that focus on your strengths. For example, if you are a great listener, seek ways where you can use that strength in areas that you haven’t thought before.

Bottom line… you must start thinking out of the box. Yes, you want to improve your life, get rid of those extra pounds, and make more friends at work, but focusing first on your strengths and building habits around those strengths will definitely bring you closer to your goals. Think positively, set bold goals, design your life around your goals and make it your best year ever.