So we're a couple days into the new year. You've no doubt tried to
resist those left over sugar cookies and have maybe even hit the gym
once already in an effort to kick start your resolution to lose weight.
Or maybe you've made that connection with the old friend you've
resolved to keep in better contact with. Or maybe you've cleaned out
your inbox top to bottom because "this year's gonna be different!"
It Won't Be Different
Here's the truth. Next year won't be different from this year. You
won't lose 20 pounds and you won't keep your inbox empty. The reason
you won't is because you weren't doing those things -- or better yet, being those things, just 3 short days ago. How have you really changed since Wednesday?
You Can't Change Your Lifestyle
It's now become popular to explain how you're not simply going to diet
to lose weight, you're going to change your lifestyle. We can thank Dr.
Phil for that nugget, but the fact is changing your lifestyle is not
the goal.It is the effect of achieving your goal. Your goal should be
specific. You don't want to lose 20 pounds, you want to stop eating
french fries 4 times a week. You don't want to have a more manageable
inbox, you want to create 3 email accounts
and use them accordingly: business, personal and inbound only. By
making incremental steps toward a broader reaching goal, your lifestyle
will change, but not because you set out to do it, but because you're becoming someone new.
Resolutions Are Bunk
Being specific or not in your goals, of course, really isn't the point
either, though when setting goals it's where your head needs to be. No,
resolutions are bunk because they imply a future state. You're
resolving to do something. You're not doing it now, you're going to
do it. That mentality is why you'll not achieve your weight loss or
keep in touch with your friend or keep your inbox empty. You're not
doing it today so you won't do it tomorrow. Resolutions are for people
who want to dream, who want to talk about what they'll be someday.Doers do...today.
You Should Be Different
What if you tried something different? What if every day, every single
day, you woke up in the morning and resolved to do something? Make
resolving part of what you do every day, or, better yet, who you are
every day -- continually striving for more. Don't blow off October,
November, and December because you know this new idea, endeavor,
desire, or want would be better suited as a new year's resolution.
Resolve October 1st to call your friend. Not in the future, not next
year, right now on October 1st. Resolve on October 2nd to create your 3
email accounts, resolve on Oct 3rd to not eat french fries on that day.
Resolve right now, right this very moment, to be more resolute...more often.
Don't get suckered into the cultural vacuum of new year's resolutions. Be the change. Resolve daily. The resolution I hope you didn't make this year is the one you did.
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