The end of the year is fast approaching and what I like to think of as a new beginning. For some, the New Year can be an opportunity for a fresh start.
The dictionary defines ‘Resolution’ as a firm decision to do or not to do something.
As most know our resolutions start with good intentions as a firm decision to do but as the year progresses to do becomes not to do. So I don’t care for the word or its association with a New Year.
I prefer Goals.
Goal – the object of a person’s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result.
Were resolution being a mental decision, goal implies passionate work to achieve. A desired result should be the focus of a new beginning to a new year. It’s the ‘why’ you choose to do something and the motivating factor to keep your effort moving forward to achieve it.
But just like declaring your New Year’s resolutions, setting goals and the reason for them is just not enough. I know of several work projects that were resolved to be done but have yet to be completed or even mentioned again.
When the pandemic and the need to stay home came about, my wife and I made it a goal to paint the house. We didn’t just start painting. We broke it up into smaller pieces. We went basically wall by wall as some rooms have more than one color. We took the larger goal and made smaller ones. This really helps because doing the smaller ones helps you realize your accomplishments.
And it went further than that. As each weekend approached, we asked ourselves what do we need to get accomplished this weekend. We said it, we did it. Soon, every wall was painted, almost every door was painted, and what we have left is the ceiling and some of that has been done. We set the goal, we broke the larger goal into achievable pieces, and we talked about it weekly, and set the deadline to do it. Our desired result is near.
I wrote this because I felt it important for people to have goals no matter what sort of desired result you are looking for. Don’t make a resolution, a decision, but a goal and know why you want to achieve it. Your desired result is what you desire.
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