Resolution Revolution: never break a resolution again!
by Miki Saxon
It’s the list time of year again—first shopping lists and then resolution lists.
I hate resolutions mainly because I find that rather than inspiring and motivating us they turn into a club with which we beat ourselves.
Once I realized that I stopped cold turkey with the resolutions. Not even one itty-bitty, teeny-tiny one did I allow to creep into my brain.
Instead, I remembered something I’d heard way back when I was in school, it went something like this,
A dream stays a dream without a plan and a deadline.
And that’s what most resolutions are, dreams.
These days I treat myself as a company and handle my year’s goals exactly the same way I teach my clients to handle their company’s goals. I already described the process in Wrap and Plan and it only differs in one way—there are fewer executives and I get to wear all the hats.
The other big difference is that my execs are really mouthy and sometimes I think that they’re just arguing for the fun of it, but even then, I/we continue until all of us are satisfied with the final goals. There are never more than five, usually more like three, and I know exactly what I have to do, when/how I have to do it and what it will cost to achieve each one.
The thing that really amazes me since I started this is how well it works. I end up accomplishing most of what I want to do each year and if I don’t at least I know exactly why and if it was in or outside of my control.
That’s it—no more broken resolutions because you can’t break what you don’t make!
I hope you’ll share your 2008 goals here with me and feel free to ask for assistance—here in comments or call 360.335.8054 or email miki@rampupsolutions.com.
December 17th, 2007 at 6:05 am
[…] At Leadership Turn, we’re reminded that resolutions are just dreams – and for that reason, you should always have resolutions. If you’re searching for suggestions, Home Biz Notes offers guilt free resolutions (mmm, I hope chocolate is involved). And since everyone wants more money in the coming year than they had in the last. Yielding Wealth shares how to make it happen by resolving to save money in a way that is manageable — and doable. […]
December 20th, 2007 at 8:19 am
I’ve set some business goals (learn a new skill, make some recently learned tasks into habits), as well as some personal goals (learn a new skill, go to someplace new, have a new experience).
I’m sharing them with friends who’ll help cheer me on along the way.
December 20th, 2007 at 11:13 am
Terrific, Mary Jo. You don’t mention it, but be sure to have specific delivery dates for each. On the big ones that i know will take all year I include four (one per quarter) sub-goals that are necessary to the primary one to achieve along the way—that keeps me focused and gives me a feeling of accomplishment all year.
Kudos to you for sharing them, that not only provides support, but adds positive accountability.
If you have the time and feel like sharing the results along the way please do, I’d love to hear how it goes:)