Getting Where You Want and Need To Go

Part 1: Why Resolutions Fail Us

To be or not to be–that indeed is the question. It is that time of year again when we stand at the crossroads and take stock of our lives. This is a good practice for anyone, and even more important for Entrepreneurs. We are speaking about the traditional practice of making resolutions, and everyone, everywhere, is talking about them. 

Year after year, humans follow the same pattern of making them. First, we take a look in the rear-view mirror–our year in literal re-view. We want to know what worked, and what did not work during our previous trip around the sun. Next, we turn around and survey the road ahead. Since few of us conclude we are just fine the way we are, the next step is to make a list of the needed changes by the time we return to this same spot next year. 

Resolve means "to come to a definite or earnest decision about". To be earnest is good. But, whether resolutions work–or not–is up for debate. My opinion is the "or not", and I believe the tradition leaves a lot to be desired.

Why? Here are at least five things that are missing from the practice:

A Resolution never has, and never will, create change. A list of needed changes is nice to have, but if I expect to be in a different place at this same time next year, I must transform the list into daily action steps. A To-Do List, by itself, has never changed anything, without a plan to do. 

A Resolution does not have a deadline. Resolutions, like goals, are good. But without time constraints, they are nothing. From the dawn of humankind, our earliest ancestors observed the sun and the moon and the seasons, and knew the limitations of time. Knowing this limitation allowed them to manage their activities in the most efficient way, added to the quality of their lives, and increased their chances of survival. A healthy respect of time will do the same for Entrepreneurs. Stonehenge is proof of just how far our ancestors would go to measure the unrelenting passage of time. Rather a large watch, but their goals were synchronized with this measurement. It is funny we ever considered them backward. We could use more of this kind of focus today. 

A Resolution does not take stock of where you are. To get anywhere at all, you must know exactly where you are at the start. Where we are now, is the result of every decision we have ever made up to this point. Accepting full responsibility for where we are is the first step of real change. Honesty is difficult, especially if you have failed in the past to meet your objectives. Failing does not mean you are a failure. It means you have not yet succeeded. You now have better information to meet your goal the next time around. More on this next week. 

A Resolution does not include a map. You have to provide it. Resolutions must clarify the destination and why you want to go there. Sometimes you cannot get where you want to go from where you are. It is like being lost in a large city. You can find yourself going around and around, stuck in a labyrinth of one-way streets. The quickest way out is to find someone familiar with the territory. A good mentor can help you get there. As humbling as it is, stop and ask for directions.

A Resolution without review is not progress. Whatever we decide to be, or not to be, how much change, and in what period of time, is the question. We must have a way to gauge and measure our progress. Progress is not merely change for change sake, but change for the better. If you wait till next year to assess your progress, bad habits will become entrenched. By that time, roots will be so deep it will take two years to dig them out. Ask yourself daily, weekly, and monthly if you are moving closer to the goal. 

No matter how we choose to manage the changes in our lives, to make progress, we must desire to change more than we desire the status quo. Resolutions, in themselves, are only words. By themselves, they are not productive. They are only recognition that you want to be in a different place. So what? Talk is cheap.

If you are still sitting on a pile of unrealized resolutions from last year, these missing elements may be part of the reason. It is time to add the missing structure. Maybe you cannot get there from where you are. Maybe you need to reassess the goal. Maybe you do not want that goal as badly as you thought you did. Maybe you need a roadmap. Maybe you are not taking full responsibility for where you are. One thing is for certain, as Chris Gardner so eloquently states, “If you drove here, then you can drive yourself out.”

We will be talking all this month about the entrepreneurial journey in an entire series on “Getting Where You Want To Go.” We want to help you seize the day, and connect the dots to your dreams. Join us, will you?

__________________________________________________________________

Why do we at etc!graphics inc, a graphic design company, care about your business strategies? Because no matter the talent of your designer, your business graphics will never make more sense than the clarity of your vision. The clearer your vision, the more lucid your marketing will be, and the better connection you will make with your customer. We want to help you find the gold in your business. Join us all this month as we share ways to help your small business sustain and grow in a crowded marketplace. Etc!Graphics is devoted to helping you, the small business owner, think like a marketer. 

You can read more articles like this, by visiting Thincblog here.