It's that time of year again. Many people have just reviewed the past year and made a New Year's Resolution so they can become better in some way during the upcoming year.
Unfortunately, this process isn't done very well. According to Forbes, here are some statistics regarding these resolutions:
Only 9% of New Year's Resolutions are seen to completion (flip that... it's a 91% failure rate!)
23% of resolutions are abandoned in the first WEEK!
43% of resolutions are abandoned after only 1 month.
37% of Americans make New Years Resolutions (59% in the 18-34 year age bracket)
If so many people make resolutions, why do so many quit in such a short period of time?
I was at the gym yesterday (yes, one of my resolutions has to do with my health) talking to the manager of the personal trainers. He told me that he's been having people cancel their PT consultations and renig on their resolutions already. It was January 3rd!!!
I heard another statistic that said people are 20% more likely to complete their resolution if it's written down. That's still a pretty low number through if you think about it.
The problem with New Year's "Resolutions" is that they aren't a resolution at all. Let's walk through some definitions:
Hope: A feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen
Wish: To feel or express a strong desire or hope for something that is not easily attainable
Resolution: A firm decision to do or not do something
Did you see the difference in those definitions? Hope and Wish both have to do with feelings. A resolution is a decision.
According to the UMass Dartmouth, the decision process involves 7 steps:
Identify the decision that needs to be made
Gather relevant information
Identify the alternatives
Weigh the evidence
Choose from among the alternatives considered
Take action
Review your decision
How many of us have been at a New Year's party and gotten asked what our resolution is? If we were in a room together I'd probably see every hand go up. If this is our decision process, it's no wonder why resolutions rarely go anywhere. We've failed to identify the real problem or the cause of it, review alternatives, set some kind of measurable figure so we can review the resolution later, or even to take action. Boiled down, most New Year's Resolutions are not resolutions at all. They are simply a hope or a wish for something.
So how do I ensure that I'm able to complete my resolutions?
There are a few steps that you should take to ensure your success. I've outlined them here, but for the best effect, let's book some time together and we'll walk through a WISE Goalsetting workshop. This will maximize your likelihood of success, and you'll love the results!
Write your goal down, and keep it visible.
Conduct a root-cause-analysis of your goal. What is driving you to make this decision. What is driving that? Why is this so important to you. The more detail you can give yourself with regard to the underlying reasons for setting this goal, the more likely you will be to succeed.
Imagine what your life will look like after you've reached that goal
Get into as much detail as possible with the your results. What does it look like. How will people treat you differently? Will the food you eat be different? If so, what will it taste like? How will your surroundings be different? If it impacts your finances, what will that feel like emotionally? The more detail you can put into this, the deeper it will be in your subconscious and then your brain will not allow you to fail.
Find some accountability partners. If you don't tell people (a lot of people) about your goals, you can simply chalk them up to something in your head. If someone is there to hold you accountable toward reaching your goals, you've got to keep going. After all, you don't want to disappoint your fans.
If you want to schedule a workshop to learn more about developing WISE goals, or to even go beyond, please reach out to me at jp@thedashlegacy.net
I can't wait to see the person you become after you've applied these principals to your life!
About the Author:
JP Bachmann began his professional career in electrical automation, and transitioned into professional sales in the IT industry in 2016. He is now a national sales leader specializing in account success and company growth. JP was awarded a Business Coaching certification in 2019, and has helped to lead the Toastmasters International volunteer organization by serving as a District Director in Colorado and Wyoming from 2022 to 2023 serving 140 independent clubs and 2000 members. In 2023, JP founded TheDashLegacy.net which is devoted to enriching the personal and professional lives of those around him through continuous growth, humor, and thought leadership. JP is a professional speaker focused on Career Health, and leads workshops helping people develop career and personal goals using his own unique goalsetting method. Connect with JP by emailing him at jp@thedashlegacy.net
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