Meaningful New Year's Resolutions

MEANINGFUL NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS
RESOLVE: --v.t. To fix or settle on by deliberate choice and will
DELIBERATE: --adj. Carefully weighed or considered, studied, intentional
WILL: --n. The faculty of conscious and especially of deliberate action
--Random House Dictionary of the English Language

Many of us start out each New Year with well-intentioned resolutions. These may be in personal and/or business areas like staying in shape, or increasing our client base, or bringing bigger changes into our lives. Some of us have reverse resolutions like not smoking, or saying ‘no’ to unreasonable client requests. As the year progresses we may make some headway on these lofty goals, but lack of focused attention to intention can undo the most sincere New Year's Resolution. So how then do we make resolutions into goals that will happen?

Rule 1: Make only 2 personal resolutions and/or 2 business resolutions.

Limit yourself to 2 resolutions: one long-term resolution to maintain the full year, and one short-term resolution that will re-enforce the long term one. One example of a short-term resolution might be: "I will make a minimum of ten additional cold calls every week. ”The long term might be: "I will increase my client base by 15%". Another short example might be: “ I commit to a minimum of one family outing a month.” The long term: “I will spend more time with my kids.”

By limiting yourself to one important change, you insure that it remains a priority. Provide it focused attention and make deliberate choices on how to support this change in your life.

Rule 2: Make it POSITIVE.

Instead of saying "I won't drink so much at gatherings," you might say something like, "I will limit myself to two drinks at any social gathering or dinner. I will always make sure that water or juice is available so that I have an alternate."


Rule 3: Arrive at your resolution through a conscious process of deliberate choice, and intention to bring the change into your life.

Many New Year's resolutions arise out of stresses of the holiday season, and the economy or personal challenges. Take time and look back over the whole of the last year. What one thing would you most like to see change in the coming year?  If it's difficult to choose just one, narrow it down to three. Take time to think about and record what you would need to do to follow through on each one? Choose the one you feel the strongest intention about, AND can see yourself creating a plan for and sticking to it! This is the top priority, the one you feel that no matter what, ‘I will make this happen’.  This does not mean having no other goals. It means putting yourself in a position to bring more success into your life, which you can then, feeling good about your achievement, leverage off of to help achieve other goals.

Rule 4: Contract with yourself

Once you have chosen your resolution, write a statement of intent. Make sure that it is one that you can feel viscerally...that you have a lot of energy behind. For example: " In 2009 I will do all I can to increase my referrals from current and past clients.” Follow it with a detailed plan of how you implement this, including some time targets, and some specific goals:  “I will start by showing my appreciation to all my 2007 and 2008 clients." (Then drill down to the task level, for example:  "I will create a list of all engagements and primary contacts, with personal notes on these contacts by January 7th.  I will categorize these into ones I will send gifts to, ones to check in with annually, quarterly, etc. I will select clients whom I really enjoyed working with and offer them a promotion during the first quarter of 2009.”)

Seal one copy of your resolution in an envelope to be opened 12/31/09. Keep the other one as a living document that you revisit weekly, expanding and detailing as your task list. Each time ask yourself whether you are on track. Acknowledge your headway and make changes to the plan as the year progresses to insure your success.

Remember the watchwords for success:
Conscious Choices Deliberate Intentions Actions

Note:
The tradition of the New Year's Resolutions goes all the way back to 153 BC. A mythical king of early Rome, Janus, was placed at the head of the calendar.
Janus had two faces, and could look back on past events and forward to the future. He became the ancient symbol for resolutions and many Romans looked for forgiveness for the past year, while looking forward to the new one.
source: Rosana Marsili, The New Year Resolution Kit