New Year’s Resolutions – Do You Keep Them?

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Today’s blog is a sensitive subject for some people — do you keep your New Year’s resolutions? Yeah, I know..groan!!

With 2010 drawing to a close and everyone around the world looking forward to embracing 2011, most of us over the past week or month will have spent a few minutes thinking about two things.

Firstly – what happened over the past year? What did I learn; what did I do right; what did I do wrong; did I get what we wanted? ..And if not, how I can improve or what do I need to do to get what I want?

Secondly – what are we going to be looking forward to achieving and accomplishing in 2011? What are going to be the biggest challenges, roadblocks, or difficulties? What do I need to learn (Skills, knowledge, awareness etc.)

There are no prizes for guessing that one of the most popular new year’s resolutions is related to personal health. Yes, you guessed it…I’m going to lose weight!! I’m going to get fit!!…I’m going to do this or I’m going to do that!! The reality of course, most people don’t have the will power to follow through.

Typically, they will work out at the gym for a few weeks and then quit. I see it myself every January down at my local leisure center. A massive surge of activity with new members, but then comes the first pay day of the New Year and their enthusiasm has fizzled out completely.

Why is this?

People put their focus on a few big unrealistic resolutions instead of on smaller goals that can be achieved and easily measured. Smaller goals which when accomplished will lead them to achieve bigger goals.

If you are going to make a New Year’s resolution, make it something that is going to be achievable and can be accomplished with some effort, but not something that is just wishful thinking and you are never going to do.

If you want to accomplish your New Year’s resolutions you need to break it down into smaller goals and use more than one list.

I have two lists — I actually use the free TaDaLists.com to compile theses.

One list is for all my PERSONAL GOALS, like my hobbies such as art and gardening, my health and fitness regime including mountain biking, swimming, running and Tri training (my bigger goal), leisure time activities, family and friends focus etc.

My second list is for all my BUSINESS GOALS, many of which will only have meaning to me as they are very specific marketing objectives for my ZeekRewards and Intra Juice   home businesses. But looking at things from non techie shoes, that list might include (off the top of my head here!) … start an Internet business, learn how to do keyword research, set up a premium blog, make the first sale, write first guest post, learn how to set up an autoresponder for a newsletter, create a email list, learn a new skill like social media to utilize Facebook and Twitter to engage with my target audience etc.

• So don’t just create a list of resolutions you will never plan on doing as you set yourself up for failure
• Make short easy to achieve goals that can be accomplished in a reasonable time frame
• Create a large list and break it down in smaller
• Spread the goals out over a year
• Follow and track goals as you achieve them
• Always celebrate your accomplishments no matter how small

Just imagine, many more goals will be accomplished once you are in the habit of taking consistent action on a daily basis — set up your D.M.O. (Daily Method of Operation) and you will soon start to accomplish goals that you didn’t think were ever possible.

I’ll finish this post with a some inspirational New Year’s quotes…

The merry year is born, Like the bright berry from the naked thorn. – Hartley Coleridge

If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else. – Yogi Berra

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit. - Aristotle

Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it will bring back, a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country. – Anas Nin

A minute’s success pays the failure of years. – Robert Browning

Where there is unity there is always victory. – Publilius Syrus

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. – Albert Einstein

If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today. – E Joseph Cossman

Pray not for things, but for wisdom and courage. – Anon

There is a difference between interest and commitment. When you are interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstances permit. When you are committed to something you accept no excuses only results. – Anon

This year may be the best year of your life. I wish you Health, Happiness and Good Fortune in 2011. Good Luck! Go For It!

[ New Year's clip art image supplied by WordPlay ]

P.S. I would love your input! If you have an opinion that would contribute to this discussion, please feel free to leave me a comment below.

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Tagged as: Goal Setting Tips, Goals, New Year Resolutions, New Year's, Resolutions, Zeek, zeek rewards, Zeekler, ZeekRewards, ZeekRewards.com