Welcome to the New Year
New Beginnings
While there has been pushback in recent years against setting New Years Resolutions (NYRs because the failure rate of NYRs is about 80% after 6 weeks), I still think they can be useful. Research shows that when we have a new beginning (new house, new job etc) it is a great time to put new habits in place (read Katy Milkman’s book “How to Change”). Many people use the new year as a new beginning: A time to set “New Years Resolutions”, goals, intentions or aspirations… whatever terminology you want to use… as long as it motivates you… call it what you like!
You see change happens in a moment, a moment you decide and commit to doing everything in your power to change.
Now, most people fail to achieve the change they desire for one or more reasons, which include:
- Lack of clarity about the change they desire
- Not thinking through WHY they want to change (aka purpose)
- Poor strategic planning
- Not reviewing their goals often enough
- Lack of accountability (especially if you’re someone who needs a high level of external accountability, like me!)
- Low motivation (dopamine is the neurochemical of motivation… low dopamine is caused by things like chronic stress, addictions, unhealthy diet, too much screen time)
- Not being resilient (mentally fit), committed, and determined when the going gets tough or life gets busy
So for the rest of this newsletter, let’s focus on the change you desire. You may already know the change you desire. But if you don’t here are some questions from my 2022 planning training workshop.
In 2022 what do you want to …
- Have less of
- Feel less
- Have more of
- Feel more often
- Be more
- Be less
- Become
- Change
- Solve (a problem)
- Possess
- Experience
- Accomplish
- Are there any regrets you want to avoid?
Now pick up to 3 things to add to your goals (you may already have some goals defined).
You’ve probably heard of SMART goals. SMART is an acronym to help set clearer goals.
S stands for Specific – what exactly do you want to change e.g. I want to travel to Iceland, I want to be happier, I want to learn to speak Spanish, I want to walk 500 miles.
M stands for Measurable – adding a numerical target is helpful as you will know when you get there and you’ll be able to measure your progress.
A stands for Achievable – it’s good to set a goal that is a bit of a stretch, but it also needs to be achievable with your current resources. For example, for most of us, traveling into space is not achievable in 2022, but for a handful of billionaires, it is.
R stands for Relevant – it’s good to set goals that are relevant to where you are heading in life in general. E.g. if you want to retire in 2023, you might want to set a goal to have your finances in good order by the end of 2022. However, sometimes it’s ok to set a goal just for the sake of it, just because you want to. E.g. learning to Tango might not fit in with your major life goals, but it would be a fun thing to do, so why not!
T stands for Timebound, meaning that you pick a date by which you will achieve your goal.
People who set goals, write them down, tell others and find some way to be kept accountable are much more likely to achieve their goals, and if they don’t quite achieve their exact goals, they will be more successful in general than those who don’t bother setting goals.
2022 Words of Intention
Lastly a fun little challenge for 2022. Pick between 1 and 5 words that will be your theme for the year.
My words as an example… Build, Joy, Presence, Energy, Abundance (yes I’ve been greedy and chosen 5!)
Write down your goals and your words of intention… and put them in places where you will see them often. When you spot your written down goals and your words of intention, stop for a moment… have them inspire, motivate, focus and energize you.
Want accountability? Join the Life By Design Group on Facebook… share your vision for 2022 and your words of intention.
While life is unpredictable and nothing is guaranteed, I hope this article will help you get the best out of your life in 2022.
Please contact me if I can be of further support.
