At the end of every year, most people scramble to jot down a list of things they want to complete in the New Year. While many are creating a fresh list of ‘resolutions’, many simply transfer what they did not accomplish in the previous year and in my view, the latter is more common than not. Frankly, gyms depend on it. They know very well that all the calories packed on during the holidays sets the stage for a successful marketing campaign for “A New Year, A New You”.
The following shows how many of these resolutions are maintained as time goes on:- past the first week: 75%- past 2 weeks: 71%- after one month: 64%- after 6 months: 46%
Source: ProactiveChange.com
I ditched resolutions. Several different sources report that many resolutions fade away as the year progresses. I would consider myself a goal-oriented person and begin to think about the reality that most resolutions simply don’t survive the New Year-entirely. Around 2007, I began establishing my goals for the year and along with them, a theme to set the tone for the year.
Previous Themes:
2007: Growth, 2008: Rebuilding, 2009: Faith, 2010: Consistency
My theme for 2011 is Expansion and my mission statement is as follows: Seek to expand personally, spiritually, financially and professionally. Establish myself as a person who is a community builder with integrity and advocates sustainability.
Think of it this way, if your goal is to lose 50 pounds and you weigh 150 pounds, instead of resolving to lose 50 pounds, establish a theme for a healthy lifestyle. I’m of the opinion, establishing a theme triggers something on a subconscious level and guides all of your goals. Once you have resolved your resolution, then what?
I’m so optimistic about 2011 and believe it will be a turning point in our world’s history. Ideally, my theme could fit nicely into the worldview as well. Everyone wants to see the economy expand and be robust; small businesses want to rehire furloughed workers and expand product lines. The list could go on. Insanity is defined as doing the exact same thing expecting a different result. If you’ve been on the resolution roller coaster, I challenge you to try setting a theme for your year.
Happy New Year, let’s expand together!
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Yahya E. B. Henry, Social Media Chair
socialmedia@ypaugusta.com
Great thoughts. The older I become the more I reject doing things just for the sake of tradition. Don't get me wrong, I get so excited about new years, new beginnings. But when I'm ready to make a change, it doesn't matter what calender day it is. I try to keep my goals simple and long term--so that I can actually see growth. Thanks for the suggestion of themes-it's an awesome idea.
ReplyDeleteI agree, especially with setting realistic goals any time of the year vs. traditional resolutions. On top of that, I think it is important to begin with the end in mind. Understand who you are, then set goals, and then set actions that break the goals down into easy steps. For example, if I am a very social person then a goal of getting in shape by exercising in my home by myself will not work. First of all, getting in shape is too ambiguous. Instead say I want to lose 20 lbs in the next 6 months. So, I need to lose 3 to 4 lbs per month. Also, as an extrovert you gain energy from being around lots of people. So, I could join a gym and participate in classes with lots of people. I will look forward to going as an opportunity to socialize and will be more likely to develop a good routine. I can also develop new friends and possibly accountability partners to also help me watch my diet.
ReplyDeleteNo resoluions for me either! I stopped making resolutions when I came to the realization that I never kept them. I only made them because everyone would ask me what my resolution was. I apparently thought that I had to have a more brillant answer than, "I don't have any".
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