New Year’s Resolutions, Yes or No?
It’s that time of the year to contemplate what we want to accomplish in 2024. These goals might be personal or professional. They might be lofty or mundane. We have all read the statistics regarding New Year’s resolutions; by the end of January, they have often been abandoned. This seems especially true for goals related to fitness or diet. So, should we set New Year resolutions or not? I think the answer is maybe.
Several years ago, I decided I wanted to do three new things in the upcoming year; learn to climb rock walls, attend a live horse race, and learn to play poker. I know these seem silly and more like bucket list items, but their point was to expand my horizons. All three of these goals were doable. How successful was I? I accomplished one out of three; I learned to climb rock walls. What was different about that one than the others? It was more easily actionable. First, I enlisted my daughter to join me, so I had someone holding me accountable for getting it done. Second, I did my research early on and found a local business that teaches rock wall climbing that was reasonably priced and could be accomplished in one afternoon. I abandoned the other two because my desire to do them did not outweigh the time and money to complete them, and I did not have anyone who wanted to do them with me.
This year I will schedule time to reflect on my personal and professional goals for 2024. To make them achievable, I will start with a limited number of goals to avoid being overwhelmed. Each goal will have a due date and specific activities that support the goal. As I accomplish these goals, I will set new ones. In this way, it is a practice rather than a once-a-year event.
I am on the fence with New Year's resolutions. To succeed, they need to be backed up with an action plan that includes timing, identification of the resources to complete them, and a way to hold yourself accountable to complete them. Most importantly, your desire to accomplish the resolution needs to be greater than the resources needed to complete it. If you choose to set some New Year’s resolutions, I wish you success and, of course, I stand ready to assist you, if needed. 😊