Stop Making New Year Resolutions

​​"The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written."
​- Melody Beattie

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

​[2.5 Minute Read or Listen Below]

New Path Productivity LLC · New Path Perspective Blog: Stop Making New Year Resolutions

Those who know me know I'm not a fan of new year resolutions. I've stated before there is nothing magical about January 1st, and far too much emphasis is placed on declaring resolutions. That may sound ridiculous coming from a productivity coach, but I will say instead I am a huge fan of goal planning. You may think they're the same, but they’re not.

The definition of resolution is a firm decision to do or not to do something and the quality of being determined or resolute. A goal is defined as the object of a person's ambition or effort, an aim or desired result. The words alone overlook the need for a plan. 
 
When we plan, we decide in advance what we're going to do and the specific steps we'll take to do it. About two-thirds of people who make new year resolutions abandon them within a month. With no plan in place, this isn't surprising.
 
Instead of the blue-sky thinking of a resolution - bring those ideas out of the rafters and hone in on some specifics. An excellent tool for this is the 5-Step Productive Environment Process™ from Productive Environment Institute. It offers an ideal combination of both big-picture and detailed thinking. The five steps are:
 

1. State Your Vision - What does success look like? What will you feel, see, and hear when you achieve your goal? If you are successful, what will be different? What will you be able to do that you can't do now? Be very specific. If it seems overwhelming to define what you want, perhaps begin by identifying what you don't want.
   
   
2. Identify Your Obstacles - What is preventing (or could prevent you) from achieving success? Whether you have control over it or not, include them all. You cannot devise a workaround strategy if you haven't considered the obstacle.
   
   
3. Commit Your Resources - What skills, tools, experience, or relationships do you have that could help? Where can you get the support you need to achieve your vision? Think of the who, what, when, where, and how available to you.
   
   
4. Design and Execute Your Plan - This is the heart of the process, but it won't be effective if you haven't given mindful attention to the first three questions! Envision your success. Develop responses in advance around how you will respond to obstacles, making them less likely to derail you. Give intentional thought to your resources to ensure their best use. Try using the SMART framework or the Michael Hyatt SMARTER framework to structure your plan.
   
   
5. Sustain Your Success - If it turns out your plan isn't working perfectly, don't abandon your goal. Identify what you can do to course-correct, and keep moving forward! Circumstances and goals change. Don't get discouraged. Just re-examine and repeat steps 1 - 4 as many times as needed.

 
This process is incredibly versatile. It provides well-rounded, broad-perspective thinking to help with just about any situation, and it works the other 364 days of the year, too!
 
Don't limit yourself to new year resolutions. Set yourself up for success any time of year with a comprehensive plan. Be realistic about how many goals you can work on at one time, and don't forget to celebrate your accomplishments to maintain momentum.
 
Happy planning!
 

The Productive Environment Process™ ©2005-2022 Productive Environment Institute | Used under license to Kathy Muzik