A New Year And A New Start, Or Just Another Day?

Much has been written about the value, or otherwise, of New Year’s resolutions.

Some say they are great, others that they are a waste of time. It comes down to YOU!

For me, New Year is a time for rejuvenation and reinvigoration. It is a launching pad that has a definitive starting point to begin the year.

There are plenty of firsts in our lives and they always leave a meaningful impact. The first day of each school year, the first dance, the first kiss, the first day of work, the first... We all can remember our firsts.

I love the start of a new year; it is the first part of each year that sets the scene for the direction I want to head for the remainder of the year. The first day, not necessarily.

For me, the place to start is at the beginning of the first full week of January. New Year’s day is a holiday after all.

I always write a list of goals, targets to aim for. I am, however, not a fan of goals fitting the SMART framework - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.

My goals are nothing more than a single sentence without constraints.

I don’t know about you but when others put rules around how I should do something it feels restrictive. For me, rules like the SMART guide go against my natural flow.

My goals are always Specific though and start with the word 'To'. This year one of my goals is ‘To get back into Australia with our work’.

I always set five goals, not sure why that is or where it came from, it just feels right for me.

The only Measure I set myself is; did I get there or close to it at the end of the year.

How do we know if our goal is Achievable until we have worked on it? I would rather see where my goal led me, often it is never where I thought it would be and is always better than I could imagine.

My goals are Relevant to me, not necessarily to the business or for anyone else, for it is my goal. Never do I set a Timeframe, only that I will try and get there as soon as possible. ?

My goals fit the SR guide – Specific and Relevant – and that works for me.

Once written out with a pen on paper I tend not to look at my goals until halfway through the year. I sometimes wonder whether I achieved any goals, if I am heading in the general direction and to remind myself that I did have a direction at the start of the year.

Do I achieve my goals, absolutely. Well, sometimes. Maybe. Mostly, if I am honest!

If I have not achieved all my goals mid-year, I adjust them to suit the direction I now wish to head.

Most often, what I have achieved is always way beyond where I envisaged that I would be. It blows my mind how this technique always works for me.

It is also at this time, the end of the year, where I look back and reflect to see what we actually achieved. Never exactly as planned yet always rewarding.

We all need a sense of direction, a target to aim for, one that we set ourselves according to our own desires. And, we all need a place to start, the date when you first set your goals.

My advice if you are considering whether to write New Year’s resolutions? Don't listen to what others say about them, nor should you listen to me, listen to yourself.

It need not be the start of the year, but why not then?

When do you want to start your new year with an impactful direction, it might be right after you have read this post.

Let's talk!