Pursuing positive impacts is a year-round sport

As New Year’s resolutions fade into oblivion, let’s work towards goals that truly make a difference.

How are your New Year’s resolutions going? As we head towards the half-time here in 2024, it may be a question you haven’t given a thought to in months. So, let’s wind the clock back for a moment.

As the clock struck midnight on New Year's Eve, many of us ushered in the new year with a sense of optimism and determination. Resolutions were made with enthusiasm - promising healthier habits, professional progress, or personal growth. But as January faded into February…or even now into June, many found that fervour waned, and resolutions were left by the wayside, forgotten amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But even within this ebbing tide of enthusiasm, there lies a deeper calling within us – a calling to pursue endeavours that make a lasting impact, to pursue hopes and dreams that speak of more than the fleeting nature of our resolutions.

The appeal of New Year's resolutions lies in their promise of a fresh start - a clean slate and a new opportunity to (finally) pursue our long-desired aspirations. But, more often than not, these goals are derailed by the oppression of routine and the pressures of daily life. What begins as a declaration to eat more healthily, or pursue a new career path, soon loses its momentum, buried beneath the weight of obligations and distractions.

But amongst the rubble of abandoned resolutions lies a deeper truth – the innate desire to make a difference, to leave a mark on the world that extends beyond the confines of one calendar year. To create a lasting legacy in the world.

For most of us, our avenue for this calling – for this desire to serve or make a difference in the world – comes in the form of our work. Whether you’re a CEO, chaplain, school teacher or bus driver, work is both a necessity, as well as an opportunity to impact the world in a positive way. And we can make a difference through our work today – there’s no need to wait for the resolutions of the next “new year”.

But isn’t February the best month to pursue a new job?

According to many career and recruitment platforms, February is indeed the month when people most often press “send” on their job applications. There are lots of reasons, not least of which is that business-as-usual has well and truly returned for the year and hiring needs are more sharply defined. Once February passes, then what? Wait until the September/October period, which is touted as the next best time? Why wait?

One of the most common barriers to pursuing our goals or dreams is the belief that the timing is just “not quite right”. We convince ourselves that we'll start that business, or enrol in that course, once all conditions are perfect. But the truth is that there is never a perfect time to pursue our dreams.

I’ve always believed that we should fervently pursue opportunities that will have a positive impact on others and make a difference in the world. I also believe that there is a big difference between waiting for the right time and preparing for the right time. There is value in unambiguously signalling that you know:

o?? how you want to develop, support or drive an initiative/program/service;

o?? the timings around the next steps so as to create some purpose and urgency (if only in yourself); and

o?? how big an impact your next role or project will have on those you mean to serve.

Fear often lurks in the shadows of our ambitions, whispering doubts and insecurities that threaten to derail our journey. The imposter monster rears its head, filling our minds with self-doubt and uncertainty. But in confronting these fears, we often find the strength to move forward.

So, as we navigate the highs and lows of the year ahead (or what’s left of it!), let’s remember that the pursuit of positive impacts isn’t confined to New Year's resolutions – it’s a year-round sport, demanding that we take risks and pursue our goals. As the months unfold and the novelty of the new year fades, let’s attend to that call within us – the call to make a difference, to leave a legacy, to positively impact the world around us. In the pursuit of positive outcomes, there is no finish line, no end point at which we can declare victory – it’s a journey that spans the entirety of our lives.

New Year’s Day has well and truly passed us by and yes, it is far too late to wish anyone a happy new year or cling slavishly to resolutions made in late December, but it might just be the perfect time to find what you’re really looking for.