I don’t make New Year’s resolutions.
I make resolutions, and sometimes those resolutions happen to be made on January 1. Most of the time, they aren’t.
So why don’t I make it a habit to resolve to commit to something for the new year?
Simple: because I find it a waste of time.
It’s a waste of time if I wait until the first of January to make my resolution. If I realize I need to commit to something new, and if it’s important enough to truly resolve to do it, then it would be silly for me to wait until the turn of the new year. If it’s that important, by golly, I’m going to commit to it now – whether it’s March, August, or November.
It’s also a waste of time to resolve to do something just because it’s January. If it’s not well thought out, aligned with my purpose, and strategically in line with everything else I’m trying to accomplish, then I am just going through the motion of making a New Year’s resolution because it’s January. I promise you, I won’t follow through, no matter what my intentions are. It’s simply too “off the cuff.” I’ve made a resolution for the sake of making a resolution.
Now, what I do do at the end of one year and the beginning of the new year is sit down and take stock of my life. How am I doing in the important areas of my life? Sometimes this spurs resolutions or changes to my life plan. Sometimes it doesn’t (I also do this quarterly, so much depends upon how I’ve been doing with adhering to my plan).
If you’re looking for help creating a life plan and aligning your objectives – and if you want to avoid another series of New Years Resolution failures – I recommend that you check out Michael Hyatt’s eBook – Creating your Personal Life Plan. My wife and I just went through it for the first time and I found that it helped take my personal planning to the next level.
Happy New Year, everyone!