Published on Wednesday, Jan 09, 2008
It’s that time of the year again when everyone is making resolutions. We may have spent a week putting together a list of virtuous ‘New Year Resolutions’ or conjured one at the last minute - with every intention to stick by them. But by January 15, most of them fly out of the window and a month down the line all lie broken. Come March, and we have difficulty even recalling what those noble vows were!
You may resolve to lose weight, quit smoking or succeed in your career, and start out all gung-ho on the first of January. But quickly, the enthusiasm wanes and motivation soon hits rock bottom. No wonder that a measly 12 per cent of all resolutions ever turn into reality.
But, this year can be different if you really want it to. Here are a few tips on how to make a success of your work resolutions:
• First and foremost, resolutions are not something to be made on the spur of the moment, either carried away by the heavy-duty revelry or at the stroke of midnight. It may be a customary ritual, but there is no magic dust on December 31 night (much as we would like) that can transform your life and ways.
To keep your resolutions from blowing away with the wind, take stock of your career and carefully choose something that you really want. Reflect on why you want to achieve this particular goal and whether you are willing to do what it takes to get there. This is the motivation that will keep you going even after the initial fervour has died down.
• You may want to move up the totem pole, learn a new skill, manage your time, network more, attain a work/life balance or simply meet your deadlines or delegate effectively. Whatever you decide, make it specific instead of a wishy-washy. It’s a fact that vague and subjective resolutions never get done. Take your pick – wanting to lose weight or planning to shed five kilos, which intention has more chances?
• Too many goals are a pitfall; moderation is the key. Instead of making a long list, take one thing at a time with one or two realistic and achievable resolutions. This way you will not run out of steam and can keep adding more goals once the earlier ones are achieved. Also, setting small goals or breaking them into steps and phases that you believe can be achieved is a more workable strategy. For instance, ‘become the CEO’ is quite far-fetched and unreasonable. Instead of setting yourself up to fail, break it into a well-defined step-by-step path with measurable goals and preset deadlines, that will slowly but surely take you to where you want to be.
• Address your concerns by writing them down and putting them in visible places for regular review. This will activate your subconscious mind and help you become aware of opportunities you would have missed otherwise.
• It is always said, ‘You have to see yourself doing something before you can do it’. Once you visualise yourself as happy after achieving your goal, the thrill of success and satisfaction will make you work harder towards making the mental picture a reality.
• Experts advise that going public with your resolution provides accountability and helps you stay on course. This way a friend or mentor can become a sounding board, an advisor and a support system all rolled into one.
• Again, its all about focus and commitment. You have to be proactive and firmly concentrate on the goal. As human resource trainer, Dan Bobinski exhorts, “Bottom line: You go where you are focused.”
• Apart from this, do not berate yourself if you falter or fail. Instead of abandoning the goal out of disappointment and frustration, learn from the setback and persist on getting back on track. Take on the challenge of a new start and you will definitely achieve something worthwhile. This time around, dispel the myth that resolutions are meant to be broken. And next year you will find yourself celebrating the sweet success of your resolution.
You may resolve to lose weight, quit smoking or succeed in your career, and start out all gung-ho on the first of January. But quickly, the enthusiasm wanes and motivation soon hits rock bottom. No wonder that a measly 12 per cent of all resolutions ever turn into reality.
But, this year can be different if you really want it to. Here are a few tips on how to make a success of your work resolutions:
• First and foremost, resolutions are not something to be made on the spur of the moment, either carried away by the heavy-duty revelry or at the stroke of midnight. It may be a customary ritual, but there is no magic dust on December 31 night (much as we would like) that can transform your life and ways.
To keep your resolutions from blowing away with the wind, take stock of your career and carefully choose something that you really want. Reflect on why you want to achieve this particular goal and whether you are willing to do what it takes to get there. This is the motivation that will keep you going even after the initial fervour has died down.
• You may want to move up the totem pole, learn a new skill, manage your time, network more, attain a work/life balance or simply meet your deadlines or delegate effectively. Whatever you decide, make it specific instead of a wishy-washy. It’s a fact that vague and subjective resolutions never get done. Take your pick – wanting to lose weight or planning to shed five kilos, which intention has more chances?
• Too many goals are a pitfall; moderation is the key. Instead of making a long list, take one thing at a time with one or two realistic and achievable resolutions. This way you will not run out of steam and can keep adding more goals once the earlier ones are achieved. Also, setting small goals or breaking them into steps and phases that you believe can be achieved is a more workable strategy. For instance, ‘become the CEO’ is quite far-fetched and unreasonable. Instead of setting yourself up to fail, break it into a well-defined step-by-step path with measurable goals and preset deadlines, that will slowly but surely take you to where you want to be.
• Address your concerns by writing them down and putting them in visible places for regular review. This will activate your subconscious mind and help you become aware of opportunities you would have missed otherwise.
• It is always said, ‘You have to see yourself doing something before you can do it’. Once you visualise yourself as happy after achieving your goal, the thrill of success and satisfaction will make you work harder towards making the mental picture a reality.
• Experts advise that going public with your resolution provides accountability and helps you stay on course. This way a friend or mentor can become a sounding board, an advisor and a support system all rolled into one.
• Again, its all about focus and commitment. You have to be proactive and firmly concentrate on the goal. As human resource trainer, Dan Bobinski exhorts, “Bottom line: You go where you are focused.”
• Apart from this, do not berate yourself if you falter or fail. Instead of abandoning the goal out of disappointment and frustration, learn from the setback and persist on getting back on track. Take on the challenge of a new start and you will definitely achieve something worthwhile. This time around, dispel the myth that resolutions are meant to be broken. And next year you will find yourself celebrating the sweet success of your resolution.
PAYAL CHANANIA
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