Here Comes 2014
Ready or not, here it comes! There’s actually very little in our lives that we truly have control over. The passage of time is a perfect example of this, and I don’t know about you, but it feels like the Earth is spinning faster on its axis than it was a year ago! What we do have control over, however, are the intentions we set and the choices we make. In the New Year’s related parlance, setting intentions is what we do when we make New Year’s resolutions.
So what about those resolutions? Are you a person who has a long track record of maintaining your resolutions, or are you someone who hasn’t been very successful at achieving your goals? If you are in the latter category, take a deep breath and feel comforted. You are in good company! In the Journal of Clinical Psychology (2002), we learn that although 45% of Americans usually make resolutions, only 8% are successful in achieving their resolutions. The promising news, however: People who explicitly make resolutions are 10 times more likely to attain their goals than people who don’t explicitly make resolutions.
How do we tip the scale toward better outcomes with our resolutions? It’s a complicated question with no single answer. In my professional and personal experience, the clearer we can be with ourselves about ourselves, our joys, disappointments, desires, needs, etc., the more likely it is that we will set intentions (resolutions) that we will be able to achieve. That’s the first step—getting clean with ourselves. It may seem tedious and awkward, but without this critical step, the odds of succeeding are not in our favor. Other success factors include not biting off too much at once, sharing our resolutions with others (accountability), getting specific and measuring outcomes regularly, asking for support.
You might want to check out the FREE “Reflect and Reset! Your 7-Day Life Review” program.
And as always, contact me if you want coaching help.