Why Should You Make New Years Resolutions?
Answer: doing what we did last year probably isn’t going to be sufficient in 2018. Whether you are in sales, admin or finance you need to take your performance to the next level, otherwise you will fall behind.
As consumers we expect products to improve every year. Bigger TV screens, faster computers, more comfortable cars, the latest iPhone etc. but have you ever thought of yourself as a beautiful work in progress? You are. The human mind and body is the most sophisticated gadget on the planet. So what upgrades are you going to make in 2018? What enhancements to the software (mind) and hardware (body) are you going to work on? That is, what progress are you going to make?
It is not about change. Change is going to happen whether you like it or not. Progress on the other hand is totally within your control.
When you embrace progress, yesterday’s impossible becomes tomorrow’s possible.
New years resolutions is your first step in the direction of progress. But progress requires motivation. Lots of it. Daily. If you have days where you wake up feeling unmotivated, it doesn’t mean that you are lazy. It just means that your goals may not be inspiring or specific enough. Or it could mean that you got distracted and lost focus temporarily. My number one tip is to stay focused on what is most important to you. Learn to say ‘no’ to the things (social media or TV) or to the people that distract you from your goals.
What Are The Best New Years Resolutions to Make?
Answer: The ones you will keep. And this all depends on what your goals are. Resolutions are nothing more than goals dressed up as commitments and pledges you make to yourself and and the people closest to you, at the start of a new year.
Research shows however, that 98% of people will break their resolutions within the first two weeks of the year. Why? Because old habits die-hard. When you do the same thing repeatedly it becomes hardwired and very difficult to reverse.
There are only two ways you can reverse the old and sow the new.
- Make resolutions you are passionate about.
These are the ones you ‘wanna’ make. New years solutions should be personal to you. So don’t make resolutions that are trendy or talked about on social media. If something does not light you up then it should not be on your radar. It must be something that you are completely passionate about. Passion brings courage to the surface and literally changes your chemical make-up. Feel good hormones such as dopamine, serotonin, and a myriad of endorphins give you the ‘pull’ motivation to take the first step and the second and third, and fourth towards your new years resolutions.
- Break The Habit of Being Yourself
Achieving the resolutions you ‘need’ to make is not easy and requires a complete upgrade to your software. That is, you need to reprogram your thoughts and feelings. How? First, here are some resolutions we ALL need to make:
- Boosting energy levels to new levels is the most critical resolution. At a high level, this entails eating clean, eating small; sleeping early, waking early; exercising religiously, exercising hard; more sunshine, more nature.
- Learning more, attending events, seminars and networking among peers. This is essential in any industry and helps you stay in touch and keeps you motivated.
- More socializing and having fun with family and friends. Schedule time for intimacy with your partner; do fun activities with your kids; hang out with friends and have a laugh.
- Save more and spend less. Slow down! Material things will never make you happy. Live simply. The best things in life are definitely free.
Chances are you will wake up some days and derail yourself with these thoughts:
“I don’t feel like it today; I’m too tired; I have too much to do; I am busy; I have a headache; I want to get something to eat; I can start tomorrow; this doesn’t feel good; I should turn on the TV and watch the news or social media to check how many ‘likes’ I have.”
Don’t think you are alone. The most successful people on the planet fall into the same negative loop. Thoughts drive feelings and feelings in turn drive the same negative thoughts. So, how do you break that loop? What do the successful do different? What can you do different?
You need to break the habit of being yourself. You need to shed your old skin and turn a new leaf. You are born an explorer primed for progress but fear and limiting beliefs hold you back from breaking old habits. This makes you live subconsciously in the past. In his pioneering book, “Breaking the habit of Being Yourself”, Dr Joe Dispenza provides a step by step guide to help you take conscious control of yourself. I highly recommend this book as an extension to this article to help you create a new destiny for yourself.
Wishing you a happy new year and a new way of life.