As 2024 waves goodbye and 2025 approaches, we’re all bombarded with messages urging us to work on our resolutions and set goals for the new year. Well, I won’t ask if you’ve worked on your resolutions or set your New Year’s goals. We all agree this methodology is, in most cases, impractical.
Studies show that over 60% of people drop their resolutions before the end of January. The issue isn’t with having goals but with our approach. Common pitfalls are unrealistic goals, lack of clear plans, and self-sabotage out of fear of failure.
We need a new strategy—one that addresses our core issues. When we work on these, goals and resolutions will naturally follow. Here are a few ideas to consider:
A Year in Review. Imagine being in the same place five years from now—same job, paycheck, physique, and social status. Not a pleasant thought, right? To avoid this, evaluate your current level in four life areas: career/money, personal/family, spiritual/meaning, and health/body. Compare this to last year. Where do you see progress or decline? Write everything down to identify core issues needing attention.
Tackle Self Talk. Self-talk is inevitable; positive self-talk is a choice. The subconscious mind is powerful, agreeable, and does not ask questions. If you say to yourself that this is a bad day, the subconscious mind will take that as an order and ensure that you have a terrible day from that moment forward. As Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or you can’t, you are right.” Positive or negative thoughts we focus on will expand and manifest. What you love or fear, you empower, and what you empower, you attract.
Moreover, Vision boards can be powerful tools, and part of their effectiveness lies in their impact on the subconscious mind. Creating a vision board with images, quotes, and symbols representing your goals helps your brain clearly understand what you want to achieve. This visualization process can enhance focus and motivation. In essence, vision boards tap into the power of visualization, positive reinforcement, subconscious programming, and emotional connection, making them a potent tool for goal setting and achievement.
Habits and Practices. Our routines and habits drive our daily actions. About 40% of our habits are mindless. Assess your daily habits—how many are good, and how many are bad? Work on eliminating the bad ones and adopting healthier ones. Don’t try to change everything at once; gradual improvements, known as Kaizen in Japanese, are more sustainable.
One of my favorite New Year’s Eve scenes is from the movie When Harry Met Sally. After years of being best friends, Harry, played by Billy Crystal, decides he wants to spend the rest of his life with Sally, played by Meg Ryan. Then on New Year’s Eve, he decides to tell her everything, “I love that you get cold when it is 71 degrees out; I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich; I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you are looking at me like I am nuts, I love that after I spend a day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes, and I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it’s not because I am lonely, and it’s not because it’s New Year’s Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”
Here is to a new year filled with new adventures, unexpected blessings, and memories that will make your heart smile. And remember, this is the real deal: no reruns, rehearsals, or extra lives. As I said many times before, Game Over can show up any minute, so make it worth it.
“Enjoy life now; this is not a rehearsal.”*
Resources:-
- *From the book, “Nudge” – by Richard H. Thaler & Cass R. Sunstein
- “I am the Master of My Fate” – Article by Rakan Tarabzoni
- “Why Should We Have Good Habits?” – Article by Rakan Tarabzoni
- “When Harry Met Sally” – The Movie (1989)
