Stop Making Resolutions – Wishing and Hoping Won’t Make It So

It’s that time of year again when we reflect back on the year that was and start looking forward to the year that will be. Are you great at making lists but fall terribly short on actually completing them? “Should have, could have” is the theme-song of losers. Break out of that mould and learn to be a winner. Stop making resolutions. As Drucker once said, “Wishing and hoping won’t make it so. Miracles are great but they are so unpredictable. You just never know when one will come along”

Making a list and setting goals is easy. Putting a plan together to achieve those goals is a step in the right direction. Getting started and working through your plan is the hard part. It takes the discipline of a long-distance runner to hang in there until you reach the finish line. Do you have the stamina to stay the course?

According to a recent study, only 10% of those who make a list of New Year’s resolutions actually achieve them. I’m not totally surprised by those findings. We live in a world of instant gratification. We want we want and we want it right now. Instant credit, video- on-demand, mail-order diplomas, cell phones, and text-messaging have conditioned us to expect instant payoffs. Whatever happened to putting together a SMART target and working your plan to accomplish your goal?

Are we raising a generation of under-achievers? Have we made it too easy for our children to acquire those kinds of things that we had to work hard for? It’s natural for parents to want their children to have an easier life. After all, our parents did the same for us. But in our rush to ensure our kids a better life, did we forget to instill in them a good work ethic? Did we forget to teach them that nothing replaces hard work, that most worthwhile things in life don’t come easy, and that you have to apply yourself to get ahead?

Don’t feel disheartened! It’s not too late. All we need to do is teach people how to set SMART targets to achieve their goals. We need to tell them to stop wishing and hoping, and to start putting together a plan that will get them what they want. This year, set some SMART targets.

S-- Specific: Write down what it is you want to achieve. Don't generalize. You've got to name it to claim it. A goal needs to be specific. A wish is a goal with a plan.

M-- Measure: You've got to be able to measure your progress. Break it down into small steps. What results do you expect to see in a day, a week, a month, etc.?

A-- Attainable: Don’t set a target that you don’t think you can meet. You’ve got to believe that the hard work will be worth it. Don’t set yourself up to fail.

R-- Realistic: To lose 20 pounds in a week might not be healthy or realistic. To lose one pound per week may be more in line. Don’t expect too much all at once. Be patient.

T-- Time-based: An expected date of completion is a great motivator. It creates a sense of urgency to help you guard against procrastination.

Stop making resolutions. My New Year’s wish for you is to set yourself some SMART goals and make yourself a winner. Experience that sense of accomplishment you’ll get when your plan comes together.