It’s easy enough to mock New Year’s resolutions. Having committed to them half-heartedly, many people quit right at the beginning, or halfway through at best.
Indeed, according to this Forbes article, half the New Year’s resolutions are out the window by July. Only about 10 percent of us maintain our resolve by the time the following New Year’s rolls around.
Worst of all, many of us go on to make the same resolution next year, telling ourselves that this is it; this time around we will stick to it.
Does this make New Year’s resolutions pointless?
Was it the best it could be?
Of course, asking this very question raises a larger question: is setting goals pointless?
In my view, the problem lies not with resolutions themselves, but in failing to plan ahead, and in setting too ambitious goals that we’re not fully committed to in the first place.
I am a strong believer in planning ahead. I believe in mapping out the road ahead and in setting ambitious (yet achievable) goals. And I believe this is important not just on a personal level, but also on a professional level.
I also happen to like the idea of beginning the New Year with a clean slate and a clear direction in my mind.
So to avoid wandering around, and to make 2012 the best year our company has ever had, I have outlined what our goals for the New Year are. I will also discuss them with my team, which not only opens up the field for discussion, but also amounts to making my resolutions (somewhat) public. (Incidentally, this has been proven to help people accomplish their goals.)
Do you believe in resolutions and goals, whether at the beginning of the New Year or at a different time? Do you set them at a personal level, professional level, or both? Do you share them publicly?
JohnAmardeil.com 