It’s a new year and we’re all supposedly off to a new and positive start. But, as I notice every January, these new, positive starts don’t necessarily last very long, or get us to our goals. Case in point – the way gyms fill up near the end of December (with early New Year’s resolution-ists) and then empty out again by early February. Every year I groan at the crowds in my usually somewhat empty workout room, but I smile inwardly because I know the crowds will be gone within a few weeks. And they always are.
But I believe, with determination and a few little “tricks,” it is possible to keep your resolutions and move towards your goals. It doesn’t have to be complicated and it doesn’t have to take a huge amount of effort. It just takes keeping your resolutions and goals in mind, and taking small steps every day (or every hour) that move you forward.
I read this article on Forbes.com recently, 5 Things Super Successful People Do Before 8 AM. It applies not just to starting every day off well, but also starting the year off well. The ideas it shares are simple – exercise in the morning, eat a healthy breakfast, do your most onerous task first, to name a few – but they’re effective. They’re also somewhat easy to do, once we set our minds to it. My favorite of the five recommendations is to visualize our day ahead and the positive outcomes we’ll have. “Even just a minute of visualization and positive thinking can help improve your mood and outlook on your work load for the day,” the article shares.
I have found this personally to be very true. I did, for the first time in a very long time if not ever, set a New Year’s resolution for myself. I decided that I would actively look for and focus on the things that were working for me in my life and work – the people I enjoyed and loved, the projects that went well, the fun of digging into a new client situation – and that I would increase my compassion, for myself and others.
I’ve caught myself many times already, in just these first few days of January, slipping away from my resolution. And I’ve quietly and quickly called myself back. It’s helped me to remind myself each morning of my resolution and my intentions, and it’s helped me to visualize myself with this new attitude and to notice the results of achieving my minute-to-minute goal. Each time I catch myself and shift my viewpoint or my perspective, I feel better. I’ve noticed that my days are nicer, my relationships seem smoother, work is easier, and I’m having more fun. Even with my onerous tasks that I’m trying to do first.
It’s possible to set resolutions and get nowhere, and it’s possible to do what the super successful people around us do and achieve our goals. Maybe it’s as simple as a good attitude, a fresh start, and a healthy breakfast.
What are you doing to keep your resolutions and achieve your goals?
Please leave a comment.
If you enjoyed this post, you can read more like it in our book, The Power of Thoughtful Leadership: 101 Minutes To Being the Leader You Want To Be, available on Amazon.
For support in being super successful, contact Lisa at lkohn@chatsworthconsulting.com.
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