Forget the New Year’s Resolutions – Set Goals Instead
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Oh yes, kids, it’s that glorious time of year when we stayed up late to watch a disco ball drop and make outlandish promises to ourselves about all the things we’re going to do differently…this year. Uh huh. Right. Sure that’s how it’s going to happen. Like, somehow, wishing on a falling disco ball is going to magically make us stop having all those habits that prevent us from making changes the rest of the time.
Therein rests the problem with New Year’s resolutions. They aren’t resolutions. They aren’t promises. They are not vows or oaths or covenants or contracts. They have all the substance of a wish you made while chucking pennies into a fountain and about as much staying power. So, this year, I recommend that you forgot those resolutions you made and substitute in some real goals.
What’s the difference? In my experience, the main difference is that goals reflect some cognizance of your own limitations and failings and include a plan for dealing with those things. For example, a common New Year’s resolution is something like, “I’m going to start getting up early and working out to get in shape.”
This may have sounded good to you and the people you were standing with on New Year’s night, but if you find it next to impossible to drag yourself out of bed to go to work, there isn’t a chance that you’ve got the self-discipline to get up even earlier to work out. Should you quit on the idea of working out? Of course you shouldn’t, but you need to plan for it to happen at a time and place you can actually show up for.
You should forget that phrase “get in shape” or any equally nebulous phrase you used in your resolutions to describe something different. Like other nebulous phrases, “get in shape,” doesn’t mean anything in practical terms. Olympic athletes are in shape. So is the guy down the block who runs a couple miles 4 days a week.
Figure out what your goal means to you in precise terms and then figure out how to make that happen. If “get in shape” means lose 15 pounds or complete a 5K or build a six-pack, those are specific things you can achieve. You can set benchmarks and timetables and consult with experts to make that happen.
Another common one is “make more money.” This is also nebulous. How much is “more?” Ten percent? Twice as much? A million dollars? Having financial goals, particularly when they tie-in to professional goals, can be an excellent motivator, but only if you pin down specifics. Is it reasonably possible for you to double your income in your current profession/position…at least, legally? If not, you need to set your sights lower or find another avenue for bringing in additional income.
While wishing on falling disco balls might be fun, it isn’t really an effective methodology for change. It’s a wish. If what you want is change in your life, get very specific about what you’re after, accommodate your own failings to make it feasible, and create benchmarks that make sense. Goal setting isn’t wishing, it’s planning for success.
