By Joni Lindquist
This was one of our favorite blog posts from 2015:
Every year as we say goodbye to the old and usher in the new one, most of us are motivated to start fresh – setting our aspirational New Year’s resolutions around those areas upon which we’re sure we can improve. As I think we’ve all experienced though, resolutions can often take the shape of “dreams and wishes” rather than actual resolutions we’re committed to implementing.
Over the years, I’ve tried to be more pragmatic about my resolutions. I realized that if I truly want to set and accomplish goals in the New Year, the goals need to be attainable and relate to what I want to accomplish in my life. I’ve found that planning around New Year’s goals can be helpful if challenge yourself by asking three questions:
- Who do you want to BE? Think about the person you want to be and the qualities you wish to exhibit. This may sound esoteric, but it bears some consideration. Do you aspire to be more patient? How about more relaxed and engaged when you’re on vacation? Or maybe a more supportive or effective employee? Perhaps you’ve long thought about an additional professional accreditation that could boost your career or reputation, or a skill that you’d like to develop. I’ve talked to many people who would like to contribute more of their time, talents or resources to making their communities better. Don’t be constrained as you think about this area. There is no wrong answer. And now can be the perfect time to think about those “what-ifs” in a positive way.
- What do you want to DO? This gets more into the realm of traditional goal-setting. Are there things that you would like to accomplish and haven’t yet tackled? Think about both the personal and professional perspectives. Are you aiming for certain professional accomplishments? Or items on your “bucket list” you’d like to mark off this year? Again, don’t limit yourself when considering things you’d like to do. After you make an initial list, try to pare it down to attainable goals. Prioritizing forces you to think about what you can really accomplish this year, and in turn makes you more apt to keep those resolutions.
- What do you want to HAVE? The beginning of the year is a great time to think about those tangible or intangible things you’d like to have. You may be a looking for a heightened level of respect from colleagues, or perhaps some type of professional or civic recognition. It could be that your wants are more rooted in achieving some level of financial reward. We all have things we want to acquire or achieve. Take a good look at this list and ferret out what you really want to work toward and what can be removed.
Bottom line? Look at your New Year’s resolutions through the lens of what you want to be, do and have then settle on the things that are most important to you. For help building your career and financial plans, schedule a meeting by clicking below, contact Joni Lindquist –jlindquist@makinglifecount.com, or call (913) 345-1881..