Success with New Year’s resolutions

Great Start for a New Year

Happy New Year!  Did you make a New Years resolution? I like to ask this question, I get some very interesting (sometimes hilarious) answers! While we often hear the stats regarding people not succeeding with New Years resolutions the fact is that people who make specific, intentional resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t make specific/intentional resolutions.

Here are a few other facts:

• 40 to 45% of American adult make one or more resolutions each year.

How the most common resolutions are maintained as time goes on…

• past the first week: 75%
• past 2 weeks: 71%
• after one month: 64%
• after 6 months: 46%

So why make New Years resolutions? I think it is a great way to give a powerful, fresh start to a new year. Well thought out resolutions can be very empowering. Maybe the word resolution trips you up. Wendy Hearn states,

“What about committing to New Year changes and actions, rather than Resolutions? The key to achieving what you really want in life and business is to take action to achieve those changes. It’s the lack of action which stops us from having what we most want. What you want will be different for each individual and may include:

• More time in your personal life
• Less stress and more fun.
• Greater business and career success.
• Balance between work and home
• Altering your management or leadership style.
Thinking about New Year’s Resolutions may have made you aware that there are some changes you want to make. I encourage you to take steps on a consistent basis to make these changes, rather than vaguely tossing Resolutions around and not doing anything about them.”

I agree vague, casually spoken resolutions usually go nowhere. But well thought out, strategized resolutions have huge potential. So make some resolutions, set some goals and put the actions steps in place to achieve them.

Until next time,

Chris Sonksen

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year’s Day.”
- Edith Lovejoy Pierce

Making a great S.T.A.R.T. in 2010

Create leadership and life goals and a plan to follow them in 2010

A few years ago I saw an article in USA Today that illustrated a person’s life span by using a clock.  Here’s how it worked:

•    22 years old – 8:20 a.m.
•    32 years old – 11:20 a.m.
•    42 years old – 3:20 p.m.
•    52 years old – 6:20 p.m.

The point of the illustration that USA Today was trying to make was that our lives go by so quickly and if we don’t plan for success we are sure to fail!  Maybe last year was not what you had hoped for it to be or maybe you did not accomplish all you had set out to do.  But the New Year can be a great one if you’re willing to take the necessary steps!

Here’s a few ways to help you make a great S.T.A.R.T. for the New Year!

1)  Stop making excuses
In our society we love to blame everyone and everything for why we are where we are!  We blame circumstances, upbringing, employers, surroundings and anything else that will alleviate us from taking responsibility.  If you’re going to accomplish great goals and fulfill worthwhile projects you’re going to have to take the first step and stop making excuses.  Take responsibility for where you’re at and for where you are going!

2)  Take charge
Decide right now that you are going to take charge and do something about your life and future.  You cannot approach your future with a half hearted attempt.  You must be on the offense not the defense and get serious about the year to come.  If you want great results you have to be willing to give a great effort.  Take charge and make this a year like no other!

3)  Adapt a plan
I love what Zig Ziglar talks about in his book “See you at the top.”  He shares how people get more done the day before vacation then any other day.  WHY?  Because they have a goal in front of them and a plan on how to get it done!  If you think about it, we put more planning into our vacations then we do our lives.  STOP DOING THAT!  Decide right now that you are going to create a plan for your goals in 2010 and put it into action.

4)  Report to an accountability partner
If you’re serious about making the upcoming year the best ever your going to need help.  Write out your plans and goals and give them to an accountability partner.  Have this partner hold you accountable on a monthly basis. They need to be checking on your progress and keeping you accountable to complete the goals you have set out.  Obtaining an accountability partner is one of the best moves you can make in 2010.

5)  Try hard
We have all heard the saying “if at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”  Maybe this past year wasn’t the best for you, but the upcoming New Year can be.  Decide that you are going to try harder then you have ever tried before.  That you are going to wake up in the morning with the best attitude, approach each day with joy and do your absolute best!  Don’t let fear, failure or fatigue get in your way!  Take the steps necessary and set yourself up for success!

Until next time,

Chris Sonksen

QUOTE FOR THE DAY

“Until you commit your goals to paper, you have intentions that are seeds without soil.”

- Anonymous