What鈥檚 your take on New Year鈥檚 resolutions? Do you find them a) helpful, b) useless, or c) a harmless annual ritual? Wherever you fall on the question, millions of people determine that some life aspect requires improvement and the time for action will take place when the calendar flips to January. You鈥檙e familiar with some of the popular ones: to exercise regularly, pay off debt, get organized, and to make more time for family and friends. New year, new you鈥攔ight?
It鈥檚 common knowledge that many of these goals, unfortunately, fall by the wayside鈥攕ometimes in a matter of days or weeks! So regardless of how worthwhile a resolution may be, it鈥檒l fail if it鈥檚 not well conceived. A combination of motivation, efficacy, and discipline will be required in order for goals to stick. Count me in the 鈥減ro鈥� New Year鈥檚 resolutions camp because鈥攅ven as many of these aspirations go unrealized鈥攖he very idea of making one suggests a healthy inclination, a desire for self-betterment.
May I suggest a resolution? Make this a year to learn, grow and improve.
Learn
Learning never ends! If applicable, consider opportunities for continuing education or other career-benefitting credentials鈥攅specially if your industry鈥檚 standards are evolving. It鈥檚 a great way to stay current and maintain your professional edge. Learn in a variety of ways, too; read more, pick up a new language, or take on an engaging hobby.
Grow
To learn means to grow. Even at an advanced biological age, we never arrive at a stage where growth should cease. There鈥檚 always something new to stretch our capacity as human beings. When we鈥檙e open to growth, we admit that what we are, and our ability to understand, isn鈥檛 quite finished.
Improve
Having a mindset for growth translates to a want for consistent improvement. As a business leader, I don鈥檛 mean this in an exacting and unforgiving way. Striving to be better in every facet of your personal and work life is positive but only when the idea is advanced incrementally with reasonable expectations and patience.
Resolving to learn, grow, and improve鈥攔egardless of what the calendar reflects鈥攊s invariably a wise decision. It might be to boost job security or to become a better spouse and parent. In the end, it鈥檚 all about seeking the expanse of our potential. And to be candid, I haven鈥檛 always been successful in following through on my own resolutions! But I love that they foster hope and faith in what could be. I sincerely wish you the very best in 2020!