Goals & Resolutions
Whether 2020 was kind or cruel to you, I’m pretty sure everyone is looking forward to a fresh start in 2021. Between the pandemic, the election and a host of other bizarre events, 2020 can’t be over fast enough for me. The question we all share is, will 2021 be a better year or just more of the same? To the extent we can change the future, many will create some resolutions in order to welcome in a brighter new year.
Resolutions Fail
I read once the average New Years resolution lasts less than a week, yet millions undertake the annual ritual of creating resolutions. I’m not hating on resolutions, because I think they come from good intentions. My problem is that they are so predictably ineffective. Why do resolutions fail for so many? I believe it’s because they lack a mechanism for commitment. It’s not enough to formulate a resolution, there needs to be a way follow up and stay on track. Otherwise, they are quickly forgotten in the hustle and bustle of daily life.
Another problem is that resolutions are vague. They don’t have a well-defined point of completion that is obvious and attainable. For example, the number one resolution each year is to “get in shape”, but what does that mean to you? Does it mean losing 20 pounds or working out three days a week? How do you even know if you are on track and accomplishing your resolutions?
Goals Work
Take heart, because there is hope and a way to affect your future, in the form of Goals. I like goals much better than resolutions, simply because they work much better. Way back in 1991, I used to listen to a motivational cassette from Zig Ziglar called Goals. I listened to it over and over until one day I had formulated a written set of goals and I reviewed them once a month. These goals were pretty audacious for a young guy with a very small income and some of them would take decades for me to accomplish. Most of my goals have already been accomplished and the others are on track. It was magical how well it has worked and I’m forever grateful to Zig.
In order for goals to be effective, they must be SMART:
- Specific
- Measurable
- Attainable
- Relevant
- Time-Based
You can research SMART Goals if you want more information, but the short version is that your goals need to be specific and measurable, so you will know if you are achieving them. Second, they need to be attainable and relevant, so you set goals you can accomplish that matter in your life. Finally, they need to be time-based, so you can track your progress. Most important, your goals need to be written down and reviewed on a regular basis, otherwise they will be quickly forgotten. Don’t be concerned if you goals change or slip, because this is normal. Don’t worry if you’re not sure how you will accomplish your goals, because this will cause you to stretch. Just make sure you are making continuous progress and your goals are still relevant in your life. If not, change them.
Happy New Year!!!
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that you can change your future in the most predictable and reliable way. You simply need to create SMART Goals and follow them through to accomplishment.
“The new year stands before us like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals.”
– Melody Beattie
