How to Achieve your New Year’s Resolutions

As arbitrary as it is, starting a new year is a fresh start and a good psychological tool for motivating yourself to set new goals, both personally and professionally. It not only serves to measure how you’d like to grow, but to measure your current progress. The feeling that January 1st brings can improve optimism and encourage new aspirations. As one year comes to a close, a new year symbolizes the idea of beginnings, a sense of newness and opens up a layer of possibilities.

            The act of having resolutions and setting goals likely will not lead to anything different unless we take very specific actions to make these things happen. Instead of setting a broad and hard to measure goal of “getting healthy”, replace that thought with the action of working out 4 days a week and setting a goal of losing 15 pounds. Goals that are measurable are far more likely to be accomplished, while the theoretical is difficult and overwhelming to actually implement.

            January is the time to dream a little, and stretch your goals for accomplishing specific objectives in your business and personal life. Evaluate what is currently in development or possible in your business. For example, if we say we want to double revenue in 2022, we need to take a look at what is in our pipeline, make a list of everything that is possible. Realistically consider how much current contracts might be worth and the probability of getting them. Compile a list of leads and the possibility for collaboration over the next 12 months. List the probability and amount of profitability for each and calculate how close you are to reaching that goal. The next step is to consider how you are going to create more opportunities for your business. Will you try two new networking organizations, or reach out to your clients and ask for referrals?

Too often, we spend time lost in the what of our goals, without taking the time to consider the how. Step into the new year evaluating how you can make these changes in your day-to-day to implement real change. These are just some ideas to try and take that fresh and upbeat attitude and make your goals or resolutions real. Get specific, get focused and make everything trackable, and you are likely to make substantial progress on your New Year Goals.