The new year is 8 days away and with it, comes a lot of talk about what’s people are going to do next year, what their new years resolutions are and what their plans are for their next 360 degree trip around the sun. This quote from Raam Dev sums up my feelings on waiting till New Years to make a change pretty well:
If you want to make something happen tomorrow, you can certainly make it happen today. Take action now and change your direction.
That said, I understand why some people enjoy New Years Resolutions. The New Year is as good as any for setting resolutions and new beginnings. It offers a clean break from the previous year and lets you start afresh – both good things. Unfortunately most new years resolutions are brash statements made in a bar after a little too much drinking or simply not thought out very far in advance. That’s why you see so many of them being abandoned 3 weeks into the year.
New Years is the time of the year that most gyms make their money. Everyone makes a New Years Resolution to lose weight and the gym is packed. Come February, the place is abandoned.
Do you have what it takes to make your resolutions last?
Next week I’m going to start impossible evaluations. It’s an annual series where I’ll use both posts that week to answer two questions:
- How far did I come in 2010?
- Where am I going in 2011?
Reader Kurt had a great comment on the post earlier this week, “I notice the more I do things on “edge of reality” the bigger the reality circle gets.” That’s both a good and bad thing. Every year, what’s “impossible” means something new and every year there’s a whole new list of impossible things I’ve accomplished, but also a whole new list of impossible things still out there.
Towards the end of the year, I tend to naturally focus on the things that I haven’t yet accomplished. It can be a little discouraging if I’m not conscious of the effort I’ve put forth throughout the year and recognize the progress I’ve made.
At the same time, it’s also important to have a plan for the future. It’s true that you can never predict what’s going to happen 3, 6, 9 or 12 months from now and it’s also important to be flexible and react to events in reality. But to use a overused, but still relevant quote from Lewis Carroll:
If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there.
Think about it this way – If you have a plan, and run into an obstacle, you can adjust the plan. If you don’t have a plan and you run into an obstacle, you still have no plan. I’d rather have a plan. I’ll be sharing with you next week. Stay tuned…
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I’m feeling pretty jolly this Holiday season so I’ll be stopping and by every member of the League’s stocking [aka inbox] this Saturday morning for Christmas with a little surprise. If you’re interested in what the surprise is [don’t worry, it’s not coal], get on the list here. Merry Christmas.
-Joel
[Photo Credit]
I think I share your tendency to focus on the things that I have NOT accomplished around the end of the year. That’s partially what brought on a recent funk I was in.
But I love your idea of asking, “How far did I come this year?” That sounds like a terrific way to actually show to yourself that you’re really not as big of a chump as you’re feeling at the moment. Or, who knows, maybe you are, and it’s time to get crackin’!
Thanks for an awesome year of posts and friendship, Joel! You were an enormous source of support and inspiration as I first started dabbling in this blogging thing. And I’m looking forward to where we both go in ’11!
Thank you Mark :). I’ve had a great time meeting and getting to know you this year too. Looking forward to ’11!
That is the most important message I have heard resounding around the blogs this week. When looking back on 2010, the absolute best perspective you can take is to minimize the impact of your failures and maximize the prominence of your successes.
I definitely finished this year a lot stronger than I started it. I just posted my 2010 review and realized that I have so much to be happy with and thankful for, especially when it comes to inspiration and a launching pad for 2011.
Looking forward to where life takes me in 2011, where I take this blog, and the adventures that come with them both. Thank you for being a source of inspiration Joel and look forward to following your journey in 2011
Thanks for coming along Justin.
When I was hitting the gym a ton, I’d always cut back during the two months after new years. It was too crowded and I’d just end up being frustrated.
For me, 2010 was awesome! I completed a ton of goals and even checked off a few items from my bucket list. 2011 however, will be 100x better! That’s plan anyway. I have a basic goal in mind and that is the only thing I’m aiming for.
Not sure how I’ll get there, but I will one way or another.
What’s the goal? Specificity helps you be more precise when determining if something was a success or not.
Like you Joel, I am torn on this.
I believe anytime is a good time to change. I just wish more people took their New Years resolutions seriously.
Raam said it best. However, I am getting to be more accepting of new years resolutions as long as they aren’t annually given up on by January 21st.
David Damron
LifeExcursion
The New Year is a good way to “theme” a set of goals, but a goal without follow up action is just a dream. All the best in 2011 David.
I’ve often found that when I plan I tend to over plan. That is, chalk up way too many actions that I need to take to supposedly get where I’m going. Interesting thing is that when you make significant progress towards a big goal, your expectations and priorities can change pretty rapidly. So, if you plan all the details out too far in advance, you end up having to throw a lot of that planning out. I think it’s more important to set your direction; get super clear about where you want to go and keep refining those ideas. But remain flexible and open on the day-to-day action end of things. Work out what the most effective, high leverage habits are and then focus your energy on them.
Thanks for the Christmas gift, Joel!
I’m right there with ya Lach. Direction definitely more important, that said it is nice to have a few ideas on what you want to try out on the day-to-day end of things. Knowing you don’t have to stick with them forever is good, but it’s good to have a few starting points, then 80/20 the heck out of them.
Reviewing what you’ve achieved in 2010 is a good idea for many reasons. When things get challenging it’s a great source of energy and encouragement to remind yourself of all you’ve achieved to date.
Hope you had a relaxing Christmas Joel, and have a great 2011. I look forward to following your blog posts next year.
Christmas break was great Dom. Thanks for asking. Thanks for reading. 🙂