Before You Resolve, REMEMBER!

Now that we are about two weeks into the New Year, are resolutions starting to fade? Researchers tell us it takes about 2 – 3 weeks of consistent action to solidify a new habit but we all have experienced the good intention resolution that never seems to work out. So I started thinking out loud that NOW versus EARLIER would be the better time to talk about stating resolutions that’s will actually stick with you. This topic will be the theme of my next couple of blogs.

I ran across a great article from Steve Davis who publishes a resource called Master Facilitator Journal.com. Steve shares that why so many resolutions fail comes down to the following:

• We are unclear about what we really want.
• We are running away versus toward something in our resolutions.
• We set resolutions that we know we can already achieve!
• On the other hand, we set totally unrealistic goals (like mine to be a rock star drummer this year!!).
• We set goals and resolutions without considering building a support system around them!

So based upon work from consultants Debbie Phillips and Robert Berkley from GroupMV, here is a three step process of creating New Year resolutions that stick – Remember, Resolve, then Reach!

REMEMBER –

First, take a few minutes to REMEMBER or reflect upon this past year. Just pull out your electronic or paper calendar and write down all the SIGNIFICANT personal and professional events that occurred. Make sure to include events that were positive as well as negative, challenges as well as successes.

Next, just look in amazement at all your experienced this past year! I bet it was an incredible collection of life events.

Finally, once you complete the first two steps above, then reflect on the following questions.

• What was truly memorable about last year?
• Who came IN or OUT of your life?
• What were your biggest successes?
• What were your greatest disappointments?
• What were the biggest surprises?
• What was the single most impactful event?
• What patterns emerge for you?
• How do you want next year to be different?

You will need to make sure to answer these before moving on to RESOLVE which I will discuss next time (so yes, you will need to make sure you read next week!)

In the interim, if I can help you and the people you associate with Get Better, Be Ready and LEAD OUT LOUD, I would invite you to visit my website below and see if any of the training or coaching experiences I offer can provide an impact! Also, as a bonus, if you go to my Out Loud Strategies website (www.outloudinc.com) and enter your contact information, I will send you a FREE guide to establishing a mentoring initiative program in your organization! Such an initiative would be critical in order to add value to your organization!

Yours in Leadership,

Bill Faulkner

Co-Founder – Out Loud Strategies

Independent Coach, Speaker, and Trainer with the John Maxwell Team ^TM

Email = bill@outloudinc.com

Visit our website at: www.outloudinc.com

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