Resolutions

An oldie, but goodie…

If you’re like me, you’re overwhelmed with advice on how to achieve your New Year’s Resolutions.  Here are some common ideas (excerpt from Pauline Wallin, Phd article):

1. Examine your motivation to change
2. Set realistic goals
3. Focus on the behavioral change rather than the goal
4. and more…

These are fantastic places to look and have likely supported you in achieving your 2010 goals, or at least making a big dent in them.  Yet for many of us (if not most of us), regardless of the quality of “how-to’s”, we’ll still be exactly where we are today on December 31st, 2011.

So what’s the missing ingredient that will actually have these resolutions stick?

Here are two examples of what doesn’t work and what just might work:

A creative New Year’s Resolution process – Recently, I met someone who explained how he writes out his annual goals – each New Year he comes up with what he wants to accomplish, writes it down, puts it in an envelope, then seals it up until the following New Year.  When I asked what he did between January 1^st and December 31^st to ensure he was reaching his goals, he looked at me like I was from another planet.  “It just works”, he said.  Result = he’s accomplished one goal during the past seven years.  Hmm…

Alternative – Dump the New Year’s resolution concept in entirety.  Last time I checked, January 1^st is just one of 365 days.  Why not set goals based less on a popular tradition and more on a future you’d like to create.  What amount of revenue would make a difference this quarter?  What difference would a new manager in your ABC department make this month?  What’s possible if you were elected to a board position in August?

When the going gets tough, look for what isn’t there – When I asked the person from the above example what got in the way from consistent results, he complained about how he didn’t have enough time.  And better yet, he said, “my wife blew it by not holding me accountable.”  I just love when spouses throw one another under the responsibility bus.  So if you had more time and your wife “did her job,” you would have achieved your goal?  Another hmmm…

Alternative – Sherlock Holmes used to solve mysteries not because of what was present, but because of what was missing.  Everyone was looking for the  “stranger” who broke into the barn.  What Holmes realized was the dog never barked the night the horse was stolen.  A dog never barks at someone s/he recognizes (excerpt from Daniel Gilbert’s, Stumbling on Happiness).  

It’s the simple stuff in the background that can make the biggest difference.  Rather than investing in the new training program, what sales people have you not had more than a three minute conversation with?  What interpretation of the current economy are you supporting?  What simple, basic action are you not taking to promote your business? 

New Year’s resolutions are fun to create and share, but frequently fall to the wayside. 

If you’re committed to making a real difference for yourself and your business in 2011, don’t wait for a specific time to take action. 

Coaching Challenge:

1. Make plans and take action now.  Simple and basic action creates results far more frequently than the next snazziest idea.
2. Look for what’s in the background, either present or not.  Practice asking, “what’s missing in this situation?”  You’ll be amazed at what you see when you look past typical or familiar assumptions.

2011 promises to be a great year for you.  Let me know what your goals are for the next three months – I’d love to know.

Happy New Year,

-Coach Preston