Do You Believe in New Year’s Resolutions?

By Monique Wells –

The following question was posted online by one of the participants in a wealth and business mentoring group that I belong to:

It’s the 6th of January. Is it too late to be talking about resolutions?

I personally don’t believe in having any. I never did. To me, resolution is just a nice word to force someone in doing something they don’t really want to do. And ending up failing, stopping, interrupting it… I much rather prefer and I’m more comfortable with the term and concept of goals and plans. And yes, I have plenty of those. What do you think – am I over reacting?

As the resident productivity expert in the group, my response was as follows:

I don’t think that resolutions, goals, and plans turn out to be very different in the long run. Failing, stopping, and interrupting occur for goals and plans too!

I don’t think that most people make resolutions because they are being forced to, but rather, because they believe that they should. I think that failure with regard to a self-imposed “should” is more detrimental to our psyche than failure to do something that is imposed upon us – for the latter, you can always say to yourself “I didn’t want to do that anyway!”

The keys to succeeding at a resolution or a goal are to:
– have a (good, realistic) plan
– ensure that you have the resources required to implement the plan
– take consistent action on the plan
– course correct during the implementation process
– reward yourself for progress along the way

Most people forget, or don’t even realize, that they need a plan when they make a resolution or a goal. And even if they make a plan, they often fail to set themselves up to succeed in implementing it.

This happens every year and it happens throughout the year. It’s just that people are more focused on it at the beginning of the year.

I invite you to try something new this year. Instead of resolving to make one or more broad, sweeping changes that are going to revolutionize your very existence (and feeling guilty after you don’t even get through the month of January before reverting to your old habits), pick one, SMALL thing that you can work to change in your life. Focus on this and reward yourself every time you act upon it. What you’ll accomplish with this strategy is an evolution as opposed to a revolution.

Evolution occurs little by little, over time. It is subtle, yet steady. In contrast, revolution occurs quickly, but it is often violent and painful. If you choose the path of evolution over revolution – in your business and in the rest of your life – you’ll avoid overwhelm. More importantly, you’ll be much more likely to succeed!

Need help with making your resolution or goal a reality?  Schedule a free consultation with Monique by visiting http://www.makingproductivityeasy.com/discovery-session/ today! Also known as the Paris Muse of Productivity™, she helps women solopreneurs and small business owners enjoy less stress, more income, greater job satisfaction, and more time to spend with family and friends – guilt free!