Did you know that the majority of people make a lengthy list of resolutions at the beginning of each year, however more than 2/3rds of these resolutions die before the end of January? This is probably not that surprising to you, is it? So let me ask you – do you make resolutions on January 1st of each year? And more importantly, do you keep them?
So I can empathize with you if you don’t, because I also often find myself on December 31st looking back on my year wondering why I didn’t achieve every resolution on my list. The problem is perspective – we tend to look at resolutions as empty goals. What I mean is that we don’t take them that seriously, we tend to make resolutions out of tradition and if we see them to completion, it is a bonus. But, if we don’t see a resolution to completion, we just add it back to our list for the upcoming year. Why on earth do we even make resolutions? Well, the reason is because we have great intentions for ourselves, but life tends to happen and we get sidetracked from our resolutions, right? I call this great intentions gone badly!
Therefore, I am making a plea to you to make commitments instead of resolutions. Doesn’t the word commitment sound more serious? Doesn’t it sound more powerful? Doesn’t it sound more impactful too? I think it changes our mindset and perspective on the action behind it as well. I, for one, want to see true transformation in my life and so these commitments will help me do so. Are you with me?
So, don’t waste your time on making resolutions, instead, make short or long-term commitments to improve yourself, both personally and professionally. Commitments strongly drives you to pledge, promise and be obligated to what you truly want. This will set you up for success too, because if you commit to actually making daily or routine progress towards these commitments, then you will actually do it.
No matter what part of your life you want to improve, whether it is family, faith, focus, fun, fitness, freedom or finances – understand that you can only control you. What I mean is that you are in control of your choices minute by minute. If you choose to be a couch potato and eat bad food all day everyday, then don’t be surprised when you gain a few pounds. If you want to meet more people, but yet you recluse to your home and never get out to networking events or social activities – you may not meet that commitment. In your business it works the same way – have you ever wanted to start your own business? Start a blog? Make affiliate income? Podcast? Or start receiving passing income? Well, what has been stopping you? The answer most likely: YOU.
I tend to follow the mantra of “Don’t be upset by the results you didn’t get by the work you didn’t do” – isn’t that the truth!?! And at the end of the day or year, you look at that list and see you didn’t make them all – the only person you can really blame is yourself. Sure, we all have things that happen in our life including tragic events or unexpected occurrences, but no matter the situation, we have to rise above, right?
Personally today, I have been reflecting on my mindset for the upcoming months. What do I truly want to accomplish this year. The truth is – a lot! I want to grow to be the best that I can in all areas of my life. I want to be physically fit, a better mom/friend/daughter/wife, develop a stronger faith and I want to really conquer a bunch of things in my professional life. I have expressed in some earlier posts that I want to build a side hustle that is profitable in the online space. I have been doing corporate marketing for almost 20 years and have a corporate position, but I really want to do work for myself too. I have the skills, so really it is just a matter of putting the work in towards my professional goals.
If you ask my network of family, friends and colleagues, they would tell you that I’m quite the busy bee as it is. I guess I can admit that I tend to fill my time with a laundry list of to-dos. I have had the philosophy for myself that if I am not being super productive, then I’d actually be a couch potato…Imagine me laying on the couch, with a bottle of wine and a bowl full of chips, watching Lifetime and Hallmark movies all day long. Of course, that would be awesome, but I have a family who depends on me. They need me to be at my best so I can be a provider for them – to give them the things I want them to have in life too.
I firmly believe in lifelong learning and feel that if you aren’t continually trying to learn new things, you will never really grow. Luckily for me, I’ve always had one new tool or skill that I am learning, but it is finally time for me to put this new expertise to good use. So, for me, I have a list of commitments that I’ve made for 2019 and I won’t bore you with that list, but know that one thing is for sure – by the end of 2019, I will not only be an expert at building online sales funnels, but I will also have some profitable passive income streams that are working for me 24 hours a day. I am super excited about this coming year and I know it is going to take a lot of blood, sweat and tears, but I’m ready. I’m ready for what is to come – and I am embracing that failure is just not an option now that I’m committing to a list of transformational plans for my life.
How about you? What commitments are you thinking of or writing down? What areas of your life do you want to transform? What improvements do you want to make? My advice is to do better in 2019 than just make a list of resolutions you probably won’t keep. Take your life to the next level by making a promise to daily progress towards transformational commitments that are going to further you both personally and professionally. Choose the end goal, make that commitment, choose action and behaviors that are critical for success and actually put one foot in front of the other and make daily progress. Make these commitments priorities in your busy, probably chaotic life.
Studies show that when you make resolutions that you don’t keep, can do more harm than good. Resolutions tend to set ourselves up for failure but commitments mean dedication. Commitments fulfilled take personal integrity to that next level because we are making good on our promises to ourselves. There is no better feeling than when we choose an end goal and do everything we can to get there – so let’s do this. Let’s start 2019 off with the mindset that we are making it a priority for self improvement through transformational commitments that are going to transcend beyond ourselves to impact others as well. When you make more, you can help more. When you focus on health and wellness, you feel better, which means you can do more with those you love. When you have a message you want to get out to the world that can help others, which means a win-win for you and your audience. There are so many examples I could throw out there, but the truth is that I don’t have to tell you what you already know…that you are destined for more, your inner voice is already telling you the same thing and this is the year where you make it a priority to take your personal and/or professional life to the next level! Let’s do this!