Broadcaster and motivational expert Earl Nightingale tells us, "Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal."
Every year, many of us come up with New Year's resolutions. Unfortunately, we often end up frustrated and overly self-critical when things do not go as well as we may have hoped, and we never reach our goals. How can we improve this process?
First of all, as each year ends, it is good to sit down and evaluate how our lives have changed.
What went well over the last year? What have I accomplished?
What am I thankful for?
What resolutions or goals did I not accomplish? Why didn't I accomplish them? In answering these questions, it is important to keep in mind that there is no such thing as failure. Everything is part of the learning process.
It is also important to write down our answers to these questions. There is something very powerful in the journaling process.
By going through this exercise, we become mindful of the progress we are making in life.
We become aware of where we are moving forward, where we are stagnating, and, most importantly, what we can do to have the type of life that we want to have.
From here, we can more effectively not only make resolutions, but actually set goals for the new year.
Every self-improvement program tells us to have goals. This makes perfect sense. How can we ever reach a destination if we do not know what the destination is?
The most fundamental difference between a goal and a typical resolution is that a goal is written down. There are many free tools available on the internet and in books to guide us in the process.
The better ones have several points in common. They tell us to keep things relatively simple and to use positive language.
They tell us to be specific. They also tell us to not only write down our goals, but to re-read them every day and even to imagine them being accomplished.
It is important to keep in mind as well that not all goals are annual goals. We also have shorter term goals, five year plans, and even lifetime goals.
In order for our goals to be effective, however, they need to be important to us.
Evaluating the past year helps us to determine what is significant to each of us. Achieving goals is not easy, there are always challenges and setbacks, and we need to be prepared to face them.
Friedrich Nietzsche tells us, "He who has a why to live can bear almost any how."
If our "why" is strong enough, we can overcome the difficulties we face.
It is important for us to remember as well that goal setting is a learning process. As I look back at my goals from the previous year, I find that some were relatively easy to achieve and that some are still in process. I may need to do things differently in the new year to achieve some goals, or I may need to simply keep on keepin' on.
The bottom line is that each of us has amazing potential. Each of us has gifts to share with the world to make it better.
Each of us is called to make a difference. Self-evaluation and goal setting are valuable tools in helping us to become what we are meant to be.
We do not control everything that happens to us in life, but we do control how we respond.
A whole new year lies before us.
How will we embrace it to make life better for ourselves and for those around us?
