Forget New Year’s Resolutions. It’s Time for a New Year’s Mindset

Forget New Year’s Resolutions. It’s Time for a New Year’s Mindset

It’s no surprise that a whopping 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail. What’s worse is that most people have given up their goal by the 12th of January. That’s less than two weeks of keeping your promise into the new year. With abysmal stats like that, you have to wonder why this tradition has remained so ubiquitous. If resolutions don’t do much in terms of helping us achieve our biggest dreams, then why do we do them year after year?

I say it’s time to do something different to help set yourself up for an incredible year ahead. With the start of a new decade, it’s time to try a new tactic that I like to call the New Year’s mindset. (Related: My Top Three Growth Mindsets for Success)

Intentionally choosing how you want to think in the new year is so much more powerful than focusing on select tasks. That’s because of your ability to achieve the things you set out to is rooted in your thoughts. If you believe you can do something, you’re much more likely to do it than if you think you can't. It's kind of like “the secret” or “the law of attraction.” Thoughts become things. Where you focus your attention—and how you think about yourself and your life—have a profound effect on the actions you end up taking. 

Are you interested in trying it for yourself? Here are a few questions to help you figure out your mindset for the year ahead. 

What thoughts are holding you back?

Consider what mindsets are currently holding you back. How do you negatively talk to yourself about your abilities, goals, or achievements? What beliefs do you keep that make your day harder than it needs to be? And how can you reframe those things in a more empowering light? What would you need to believe to achieve your goals?

For instance, maybe your belief that only rich people can start businesses is holding you back from following your entrepreneurship dreams. Try reframing that mindset to something like, “Anyone can start a business if they have enough drive and passion for their mission.” That could put you on a much more powerful path next year. 

How do you want to tackle the year ahead? 

With the right mental beliefs, you’ll be able to face challenges as the most badass version of yourself, rather than letting them get the better of you. It’s kind of like Melinda Gates’ word of the year—coming up with the right mindset for the year helps you define how you want to exist in the world and the ways you want to respond to things that happen to you.

For example, let’s say every time you make a mistake, you start to think you’re a failure. Could a mindset of “everybody makes mistakes” or “mistakes help me learn and become stronger” put a more growth-minded framing around those situations? (Related: How to Make Sure Your Business Survives Every Challenge)

How do you want to feel going forward?

One of the coolest things about changing how you think is that a shift can also change how you feel. A lousy mindset can make you feel powerless, incapable, or small. The right one can make you feel powerful, influential, and like you can take on the world.

Ask yourself: How do I want to feel next year? Then take it a step further: What thoughts can I plant in my head to get me there? Maybe you want to feel more sure of yourself and your decisions. So a mindset along the lines of “I know what I want, and am capable of making the right choice” could be incredibly powerful.

Pick the new mindset (or even multiple mindsets) you want to carry with you into 2020. Write them on a sticky note on your desk or repeat them each morning, like a mantra, to help engrain them into your brain. And, as you go through your days, look for ways to integrate that mindset more and more. Maybe it’s reminding yourself of your new mindsets during your commute, or thinking back to them during a workout. 

The cool thing is, I bet you’ll find this approach helps you achieve even more of your goals than if you had “resolved” to do them. With the brainpower and the will to back it up, there’s no stopping you. 

Tell me: What are your mindsets for 2020? Please share in the comments!

You Might Also Like:  

The Simple CEO Trick Anyone Can Use to Stay Seriously Motivated

Why Making Mistakes is the Best Thing You Can Do for Your Business 

3 Ways to Help Introverts Shine in an Extrovert-Leaning Workplace 

Kara Goldin is the founder and CEO of San Francisco–based Hint, a healthy lifestyle brand that produces the leading unsweetened flavored water and a scented sunscreen spray that’s oxybenzone and paraben-free. She is also the founder of The Kara Network (TKN), an online resource for aspiring and thriving business-minded people. Listen to her podcast,Unstoppable, where she interviews founders, entrepreneurs, and disruptors across various industries and keep up with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.