by Jack C. Randall, CIC, PCLA, PFMM
The statistics on New Year’s resolutions are alarming. According to recent statistics, only 8% of people are successful in achieving their resolutions*. That’s 1 in 12 !!
As a consultant, I find that many people simply look to their resolve that next year they will “do better”, “try harder”, and “maybe, if they’re lucky, things will get better.” These oft uttered phrases are common, yet also sad and alarming.
January 1st is the traditional date on the calendar where many people begin acting on the resolutions they have enthusiastically made for the New Year. Lose weight. Get organized. Save more. Get fit. Stop smoking. The list is endless. They reason that the old year has gone and a new one has come. Sounds like a perfect time of demarcation to make the needed change, yes? Their thinking seems logical enough. The past ways of doing things in one area or another have simply not been working. The need for change is now painfully obvious. (Sound familiar?)
Many times the need for change may have even been noted for a long time, but those changes were put off until a more convenient time. Well, why not start with a clean slate January 1st? Wouldn’t that be the BEST time? The plan is simple. Just “buck up and do it!” Even though thoughts of prior years’ failed resolutions come to mind (some as long ago as eleven months), it is reasoned that they can finally succeed this time if they really mean it and they really try hard enough, right?
As a manager, director, executive, or business owner, you may have also asked these questions and may be tempted to follow this same line of thinking. Beware. It’s a trap! The sad truth is, by the date you read this article, many resolutions just made a few days ago in 2013, by well-intentioned people, have already crashed and burned, resulting in disappointment and frustration. So, why did this failure occur? Didn’t these people have a firm commitment to their resolution? I am convinced that their failure was due to three fundamental principles of change. These principles also hold the key to your success in getting results!
1. If change is needed, start the process now!
I will let you in on a little secret… THERE IS NO PERFECT TIME TO START MAKING A CHANGE. There simply is no better time to start than the present. Don’t put things off. It is likely there will never be an easier, simpler, or cheaper time to change than right now. Don’t get me wrong. I said start the process now. Don’t start just willy-nilly trying things. Do things logically; one step at a time. Start the process by first putting together a PLAN…
2.True, lasting change will result by creating and following a step-by-step Strategic Plan.
Your plan should consist of many small, very achievable baby steps that, if done consistently and correctly, will result in a realization of your ultimate goal. Most people have it wrong. They make their resolve in their head (without a written plan) and they focus only on the end result. Don’t be fooled. Plan the process. Write it all out. Document the step-by-step process needed with a timeframe for each to achieve your ultimate goal. Start to act on your written plan. Focus on each step as your goal for the present. As you focus on and achieve each individual goal, you cannot help but reach your ultimate goal.
3. Consistency must be combined with commitment to achieve success.
You can have all of the resolve and willpower in the world, yet still not achieve your goal. Commitment itself is not enough. You need Consistency– Consistency in following your
Plan! Be consistent in working on and achieving the small steps you outlined in your plan. (Now that you have a plan, you already know what steps to take.) Simply focus on each one as the goal for that moment – nothing more. Achieve that one. Then, move on to the next one. Your mind can be more at peace knowing there is a system and an order, and that each small goal is very “doable.”
Become a positive statistic! Don’t wait! Don’t rely on resolve, luck, or hope. Start today by putting together a written plan for your success. You will be amazed to see the results—the ultimate results and profitability that you, your department, and your company desires!
Need help?
Give me a call or an email. I would love to assist you in the Vision and Planning for your successful future! www.WindmillLeadership.com/contact
*Statistics based on research from University of Scranton Journal of Clinical Psychology. December 2012.