New Year, New Goals, New Vision

After watching the video above, it made me really rethink the way I approach situations.  The way I coach people, the way I think about my goals and the way I communicate with others.  I also try to help people find their "why" now.

Why do you do what you do?  Why do you love it?  It helps people find their purpose in their work.  If you have no purpose for what you're doing, you might as well not do it.

Well it's 2011 now!  New year, new beginnings, new opportunities, new hope for the future.  This is the time of year where people make their resolutions and they have every intention in the world of sticking to it.  But a whopping 45% fail by February!  Only 8% of people who make resolutions actually stick with them until the end of the year.  I believe there is a reason for this.

When you make a resolution, how many people do you tell?  The more people you tell, the more accountable you will be.  Do you write it down?  Looking at your resolution daily will also help keep you motivated.  But when I hear the word resolution, all that comes to mind is something just waiting to be given up.  Replace the word resolution with VISION.  Where do you see yourself on January 1, 2012?  That is your vision.

Why is it important to have a Vision over a resolution?

"I want to lose weight this year"  is the most common resolution there is.  If this is yours, you are subconsciously setting yourself up for failure.  Just by repeating the word "lose", you are constantly repeating negative thoughts.  Even though you mean it with good intentions, in your mind you are losing something, and that sets in an unproductive mindset.  We have to stray away from that negative language at all times.

"I want to have the healthiest year of my life"  Now that's a vision!  That's something you're gaining, not losing.  You're gaining your health.  Slimming down your body is an obvious byproduct of you living a healthier lifestyle.  This is now something that you incorporate into everything you do, not just hang out at the gym for 30 min a night.

Once you come up with your vision, you want to come up with smaller categories, initiatives, to help you incorporate your vision.  Taking the example from above for 2011 to be the healthiest year of your life, your initiatives could be 1. Eating healthier, 2. Exercise, 3. Cutting back smoking/drinking.  Once you have your initiatives down, you can create smaller goals attached to each one that you can hold yourself accountable to.

When you write your goals down, you already have an upper hand on 87% of America's population.  If you can create a strong vision with strong initiatives and smaller goals that are attainable, you will be on track to living a better life and achieving what you want to accomplish.

Now think about your "why".  Does your vision line up with your why?  When your vision, goals and your "why" all are in line you will truly be satisfied with what you are doing and you will accomplish what you want to this year.  When this happens you are excited to get out of bed, excited to put in a full day's work, excited for the future.

I wish everyone good luck in the new year!  Make 2011 the best you possibly can!

CB