With the beginning of each new year, it seems like everyone on the planet is either talking about or embarking on some type of resolution. I will be the first one to say that this used to be me each and every year. In almost every case, I tried to commit to something health-related like getting to the gym more or eating better. However, as time has passed, I have reflected on this annual tradition and deemed it to be quite silly in the greater scheme of things. Why should it take the passing of each new year to commit to change on both a professional and personal level? As such, I have not made nor pursued any resolution in many years.
An article by Mary Ellen Tribby in the Huffington Post sums up quite nicely why New Year’s resolutions don’t work:
Growth is an ongoing and never-ending journey. It shouldn’t be aforethought at the beginning of the year, but something that all of us focuses on continuously. Consider what holds you back from setting new goals and reaching them throughout the year. The next logical step is to shift your thinking. By embracing a growth mindset, pursuing something new becomes business as usual as opposed to unusual.
Pursue your passions.
Take calculated risks.
Move outside your comfort zone.
Face your fears head-on.
Focus on the “what ifs” instead of the “yeah buts.”
By focusing on the above, a new mantra of what could be will result. Forget waiting until the year changes to develop a resolution that might not stick and run the risk of pondering what could have been. Instead, invest in yourself consistently by believing in yourself to live in the now. By doing so, you will be more prone to reap the rewards of what could be.
An article by Mary Ellen Tribby in the Huffington Post sums up quite nicely why New Year’s resolutions don’t work:
As a matter of fact according to a study by The University of Scranton’s Journal of Clinical Psychology, only 39% of people in their twenties achieve their resolution goals each year.If you don’t ever try something new, then you will never know what could have been.
And the number keeps decreasing with age. By the time you are in your fifties only 14% of people achieve their resolution goals each year. So why is this? Well there are a few reasons:
- We bite off big chunks that aren’t realistic. Essentially we go from doing nothing to saying we will do everything.
- We make commitments based on other people’s expectations. We worry too much of what other people are thinking instead of asking ourselves, what will make “me” happy?
Waiting for the new year to embark on an improvement, goal, or innovative idea could very well translate into missed opportunities.
- We don’t have the right mindset. We have not made that internal shift.
Growth is an ongoing and never-ending journey. It shouldn’t be aforethought at the beginning of the year, but something that all of us focuses on continuously. Consider what holds you back from setting new goals and reaching them throughout the year. The next logical step is to shift your thinking. By embracing a growth mindset, pursuing something new becomes business as usual as opposed to unusual.
Pursue your passions.
Take calculated risks.
Move outside your comfort zone.
Face your fears head-on.
Focus on the “what ifs” instead of the “yeah buts.”
By focusing on the above, a new mantra of what could be will result. Forget waiting until the year changes to develop a resolution that might not stick and run the risk of pondering what could have been. Instead, invest in yourself consistently by believing in yourself to live in the now. By doing so, you will be more prone to reap the rewards of what could be.
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