Keeping Your New Year Resolutions!

Mind Tools Newsletter 64 - 28th December 2006 This newsletter is published by Mind Tools Ltd of 2nd Floor, 145-157 St John Street, London, EC1V 4PY, UK. You have received it because you have subscribed to our double opt-in newsletter. To subscribe or unsubscribe, just click the links at the bottom of this email.

Contents: What's New New Year Resolutions A Final Note

Season's Greetings to one and all!

As we write this last newsletter of 2006, we've been reflecting on a challenging and successful year, and thinking about the year to come.

Here at Mind Tools, the highlight of 2006 was October’s successful launch of the Career Excellence Club.

Now, with more than one thousand members, we’re looking forward an exciting 2007! New resources and discussions daily help members hone their career skills and make progress toward their goals. What’s more, there’s a great spirit of mutual support within the club, and we’re proud to be bringing together, and getting to know, such a wonderful group of people!

So, if you too are looking to make the very most of 2007, we’d love to have you join us! Not only can you try out the club for a month for just US$1 (that’s right – one dollar), we’re offering an additional New Year bonus: When you sign up for club membership, you’ll get our popular “Design Your Life” life-planning and goal-setting program for free! Normally priced at US$27, this program, together with the continuous opportunities and support of the Career Excellence Club, is a great way to get your 2007 off to the best possible start! Click here to find out more.

Our newsletter article today – “New Year Resolutions: Planning for a year of achievement” - also helps you get 2007 successfully under way. Mind Tools’ Trainer Dianna Podmoroff helps you set up your New Year resolutions for success, and avoid the mistakes that can make them last only weeks or days…
 

What’s New

As ever, there are new free articles at the Mind Tools site every week. As well as today’s article on New Year Resolutions, there are two other new tools we hope you'll find useful: Starbursting (a great technique for brainstorming questions) and The Golden Rules of Goal Setting.

And for more career enhancing tools, articles and training events, the Career Excellence Club is the place to be! In the last two weeks, we've looked at scenario planning and the search for job satisfaction; personal strategy and success planning; and books as diverse as “The Power of Nice” and “Monday Morning Mentoring”. On top of this, the forums have had many insightful threads looking at some of the issues members have faced, giving practical learning experiences we can all benefit from.

Enjoy the article, and here’s to your success in 2007!

James & Rachel

James Manktelow and Rachel Thompson
MindTools.com
Mind Tools – Essential skills for an excellent career!

To find out about new tools on the Mind Tools site the moment they’re uploaded, click here to subscribe to the Mind Tools RSS feed (you'll need an RSS newsreader installed), or here to find out more about RSS.

What Members Say About the Career Excellence Club: "Mind Tools provides a resource that extends beyond what is currently available in text book format. It is a resource, training course and discussion group all in one, with trained facilitators and people with loads of experience. It's a place I try to visit every day, in my role as a Manager." Linda Hall, Auckland New Zealand

New Article
New Year Resolutions: Planning for a Year of Achievement

Are you busy making your New Year Resolutions… or have you resolved never to make a New Year’s resolution ever again…? If the latter, you’re not alone. So many people get demoralized when, year after year, they make resolutions that they keep for only a few weeks or maybe even just a few days.

Why is this? After all, we all have the best intentions and the timing (new year, new start) couldn’t be better. The problem may lie in the fact that we place a huge amount of pressure on ourselves. During the last week of December and the first week of January, all you hear is, “What’re your New Year’s resolutions?” “What are you going to work on this year?”

And the focus is on the “what” not the “how.” When you are more concerned with the goal you set than on the specifics of how you are going to accomplish it, or even whether it is realistic and achievable, you can set yourself up for failure.

So if you resolve to set successful New Year resolutions, read on. Let’s focus on how, this year, you can set yourself up for a year of achievement!

New Year Resolution Mistakes

There are two common mistakes that people tend to make before they even start to make their New Year resolutions: They think about what they “should” do, rather than what they really want to do. And worse they think in about what they should stop doing, rather than what they actually want to achieve. “What should I do this year?” “What should I stop doing?”, “What do other people suggest I should work on?”

To be successful at any change, you need to really want it. Unless you take time to consider what it is you really want (rather than what you should do or should stop doing) you will invariably end up making a resolution to which you are not entirely committed.

Without commitment, you aren’t motivated and after the first setbacks or obstacles you may quit. So the first rule of New Year Resolutions is to only make ones that you are committed to. Don’t make a resolution simply because it is “the thing to do”, or because someone has told you that you should.

The irony of it is that New Year’s resolutions have the potential to be very powerful because they are such a well-recognized practice. Everyone knows that everyone else is setting resolutions. And what a great mutual support network that can provide! This external motivation and support, along with your internal motivation – the desire to succeed – is what can make the difference between success and failure.

Eight Rules for New Year’s Resolutions

Our Eight Rules for New Year’s Resolutions will help set you up for success right from the start. Inevitably you will come up against challenges and road blocks along the way; however by planning ahead and following these rules, you will be better placed to negotiate these easily, rather than stumble and quit.

Rule 1: Commit to Your Resolution
Successful resolutions start with a strong commitment to make a change. To succeed, you must believe that you can accomplish what you set out to and that belief is bolstered by the unwavering support you give yourself.

• Choose resolutions that you really want to achieve – and make them positive;
  
  
• Announce your resolution to everyone around you – they will help hold you accountable;
  
  
• Develop a ceremony to mark the beginning of your commitment – this makes it more “real” and special for you;
  
  
• Don’t leave your choice of resolution to the last minute – take time to think about your goals. If you don’t, you risk reacting to your current environment and missing the big picture;
  
  
• Questions to ask yourself to determine if you can take ownership of your resolution include:
  
  
  • Is this resolution my idea or someone else’s?
    
    
  • Does this resolution motivate and invigorate me?
    
    
  • Is this resolution sit comfortably with other factors in my life such as my values and long-term plans?
  
  
• Remember that there’s no reason why your New Year’s resolution should take all year to achieve.

Tip: Imagery is a powerful technique to help you own and commit to your goals or resolutions. Try picturing yourself having attained your goal. How do you feel? How do you look? Where you are, what you’re doing? How do others react to you? By visualizing yourself in the position you desire, you can bolster your belief that you can do it and strengthen your motivation.

Rule 2: Be Realistic
The key to achieving goals is continued motivation. If you set the bar too high, you risk failing. Consistently failing at something is profoundly de-motivating (It’s no wonder that after a few dismal attempts some people abandon the idea of New Year’s resolutions altogether!)

• Consider carefully before setting the same resolution you set last year. If it didn’t work then, you need to make sure there is good reason to believe you can achieve it this year. What has changed? Do you have more commitment to make it work? (Be careful, or else you will end up with a repeat performance, and another failed resolution);
  
  
• Aim lower, rather than too high – aim for something that is challenging but that you have a good chance of accomplishing. If there is any doubt, err on the side of caution and expand your goal later if you still want to keep improving; and
  
  
• Don’t bite off more than you can chew. There is no reason to set more than one or two resolutions. Anymore than that and you divide your focus and energy and lessen your chances of success in any area.

Rule 3 – Write It Down
A simple but powerful technique for making your goal real is to put your resolution into writing. There is something inside us that creates more commitment and drive when we take the time to do this. Consider writing it down on pieces of card and keeping it where you’ll see it often – on your desk, the fridge, in your wallet.

Rule 4 – Make a Plan
This is where so many resolutions fall down. Articulating what you want to achieve is one thing; deciding how to do it is quite another. Don’t miss this step out!

• Start by envisioning where you want to be;
  
  
• Then work back along your path to where you are today;
  
  
• Write down all the milestones you note in between; and
  
  
• Decide what you will do to accomplish each of these milestones. You need to know each step and have a plan for what comes next.

Rule 5 – Be Flexible
Not everything will work out precisely the way you planned. If you are too rigid in your approach to resolutions the first minor obstacle can throw you off your course completely.

• When creating your plan try to predict some challenges you will face. Make a contingency plan for the ones that have the highest probability and mentally prepare yourself for the others.
  
  
• Realize that your resolution itself might change along the way as well. That’s not failure, it’s reality. As your life changes so will your goals, dreams, and desires. Remember Rule 1 (Commit to Your Resolution): If you need to make changes to the goal so you continue to care about it, do so.

Tip: There is no fixed rule saying that a resolution must be set in January. If your circumstances say it is better to wait until March, then do so. Resolutions and goal setting are a year round activity. Don’t get too caught up in the New Year frenzy!

Rule 6 – Use a System of Reminders
It’s hard to keep focused on your plan when you have many other commitments, responsibilities, and obligations. The best way to stay on top of your resolution is to develop a formal reminder system.

• Have your written down resolutions visible at as many times of the day as possible. Leave reminders at work, at home, in the car, on your calendar, in your briefcase, etc;
  
  
• Make sure the planned actions are on your to-do list (perhaps have a special section for them at the top);
  
  
• Set up reminders in your desktop calendar or subscribe to an email reminder service; and
  
  
• Be as creative as you can to keep being reminded, and so make sure your goals stay in the front of your mind.

Rule 7 – Track Your Progress
You won’t know how well you are doing unless you keep track of your progress. This is why your detailed plan is so important. You need to know when each milestone in accomplished. The excitement around the little successes will keep you motivated and keep you pushing forwards.

• Use a journal and make an entry regarding your progress regularly;
  
  
• Note when you felt particularly pleased with your efforts;
  
  
• Note when you felt down or felt like quitting - over time, look for common themes and decide if there is an underlying issue that needs to be addressed;
  
  
• Record challenges you faced as well as things that went better than planned;
  
  
• Look back at your entries on a regular basis and use your past experiences to shape your attitude as you move forward;
  
  
• Ask a friend or family member to call you on pre-defined occasions to discuss your progress.

Rule 8 – Reward Yourself
Although knowledge of a job well done can be reward enough, we all enjoy a little treat from time to time. Even the most committed person needs a boost and sometimes that is best accomplished through an external reward.

When you are developing your plan, make a note of a few milestones where you will reward yourself once they are achieved. But spread them out – you want to make sure the rewards remain special and are not too easy to get.

Key Points

New Year’s resolutions can be a pain or a pleasure. The choice is yours. If it’s a pain, you may resolve never to make a resolution again. So resolve to make it a pleasure! The starting point is to focus on something that you really want and are ready to give your commitment to. Do this and you’ll be in a great position to stay motivated and be successful!

As you plan your New Year resolutions for 2007, apply the Eight Rules to set yourself up for success.

Get extra motivation and support for your New Year resolutions and goals at the Career Excellence Club "My Journey, My Goals, My 2007" forum.

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A Final Note From James

2006 has been the most exciting year ever here at Mind Tools! I am constantly inspired and motivated by the success stories we hear from members and readers, and proud of the part the Mind Tools team is able to play in so many people’s lives. 2007 will see our continued commitment to our newsletter readers and club members, and to enhancing your excellent career. So keep reading the newsletter for new skills every two weeks!

And if you want to make 2007 your "breakthrough year", please do take advantage of our offer to join the Career Excellence Club. We’ve set it up so that you can try it out entirely at our risk: The first month costs only US$1, there’s no lock-in or hidden catch, and you’ll get your money back if you ask.

What’s more, if you join this New Year, you get our popular “Design Your Life” workbook free. Click here to try the club out, judge for yourself and, if you find it works for you, make the very most of your career in 2007!

From everyone here at Mind Tools, I wish you and yours a truly happy and successful year!

James

James Manktelow

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Essential Skills for an Excellent Career!

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