Translate resolutions into goals

NEAL BURGIS

Well, it is that time of year again. For most of us, the holidays offer a chance to exchange gifts and words of good cheer with family, friends and co-workers. Most of us also take the time to look into the future, maybe not into a crystal ball, but we think about what we want to achieve during the next year and then start to create a New Year's resolution. Most of us declare a New Year's resolution of either quitting or starting something. But many of us do not follow through.

Most of us make the same New Year's resolutions year after year. Despite repeated failed attempts to change aspects of behavior, people continue to do so. Even unsuccessful attempts in changing oneself do not diminish the likelihood of making future plans for self-change.

My question is: Have you made your New Year's resolutions yet? There are many things to be added to our lists. Many of us do not have a clue how to make a reasonable resolution. We set high goals for ourselves, and then wonder why we never attain them. So, we either stop setting goals, or make resolutions that are too easy to keep.

Traditionally, people treat their New Year's resolutions as dreams or vague desires that they hope will someday come true. In fact, it is precisely this uninspiring attitude that causes most resolutions to fail in the first place. You can choose to view your yearly promise(s) as a wish list that "would be nice if it came true," but that you don't really expect to happen. On the other hand, you can look at it as a positive opportunity to take action and create what you really want in life. Just understand that the first technique generally doesn't work; the second is far more likely to bring you success.

Assuming that you're interested in achieving results, you must first turn your resolutions into goals. The moment you begin to think in this light, you will automatically relate to it differently. After all, a goal is something serious, something you intend to accomplish, and something you have to work toward. What follows are some specific steps that will help you translate your New Year's resolution(s) into solid, achievable goals.

• Set goals that call for you to stretch beyond what you believe you can accomplish. As Napoleon Hill said, "Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve." Determine what you really believe you can accomplish. Make only one or two resolutions, and make them realistic enough to the point you feel confident that you can achieve them.
  
  
• Select an area over which you exercise control rather than a situation in which chance has a strong influence. For example, a New Year's resolution that you're going to win the lottery would not be effective because you don't directly influence the outcome of the games. You do, however, control the quality of your work, the number of times you call on prospective clients, etc. Focus on these areas and improve your performance.
  
  
• Put your goal in writing. When you write out your resolution, you'll find that you become much more serious about achieving it. You must also pay special attention to the way in which you write your goals. Remember to be smart. When you write your goals, highlight areas that have the most room for improvement. Make sure your goals are:
  
  
• Specific: Be as specific as possible, stay away from the word 'winning' or from factors that are out of your control.
  
  
• Measurable: How are you going to know if you are improving or have even achieved your goal?
  
  
• Adjustable: If pro-gress is slower/faster than expected, you need to be able to adjust your program.
  
  
• Realistic: Set goals sufficiently above your present ability that you have to work hard enough for it to be a challenge, but not so hard that you will give up.
  
  
• Time-oriented: Set a time frame by which you want to achieve your goals. Set short, medium, and long term segments for reaching your goal(s).
  
  
• Set a deadline for accomplishing your goal. Tack on a "by when" to the end of the statement - that is, " ... by May 1, 2005." This adds a sense of urgency and immediately puts you into action. If you do not succeed, determine what the barriers/obstacles are that blocked you and try again.
  
  
• Visualize yourself achieving this goal. Create a vivid mental picture of yourself, for example, presiding over a tremendously successful catering affair. Imagine your client smiling and thanking you for cooking such an exceptional meal. The more you can "see" your success in your mind's eye, the more likely you will be to create this success in reality.