I always find this time of the year incredibly interesting as everyone is on high alert to be better than the previous year. People make New Year resolutions and strive to make the new year a better year than previously.
I am a firm believer that as people set their new year resolutions they genuinely believe in what they are doing and more often than not they seriously think that nothing is insurmountable and the world is yet to see the best version of themselves. Why not do it at the beginning of the year; as the world ushers in a new period and there is a unique opportunity to start on a high note.
It is often within a month that we start to see the old behaviours creeping back into the fold. We see fewer and fewer gym visits; fewer salad bowls at the dinner table; fewer water bottles being carried around etc.
I often wonder what drives this behaviour; is it “the month after” syndrome; is it busier work schedules or is it demanding family lives. Or is it the advent of what I call New Year Blues? How does one beat this? Or put differently, how does one sustain this through the year and find new ways of being. I would like to offer some ideas:
- Know your why?
Simon Sinek has done extraordinary work on this subject. He implores us to do things on purpose and be clear on why we do certain things. He firmly indicates that people don’t buy what you offer but why you do what you do. I guess this forces us to dig deep and do things from a point of authenticity and essence.
So; the next time you go to the gym ask yourself WHY?
- Act in congruence with your values
Dr John DeMartini reckons that we prioritise and give energy to those things that matter the most to us. Values are fundamental beliefs and inform our worldview. He argues that the higher the value in terms of your personal orientation then the more attention you will give it and you will tend to be more disciplined in how you approach it.
He further argues that the more your values inform your actions or what you pay attention to; then the closer you are to being a genius.
So; there is a better chance of keeping your new year resolutions if they are in congruence with your values.
- Find an accountability partner
Have you realized that if you are going somewhere with someone you often honour that appointment more than if you were going alone? This is partly due to the fact that we are social beings and we are on a quest for belonging and therefore we don’t want to disappoint those we hold dear.
You stand a better chance of succeeding if you enlist the services of a coach; mentor or friend who will hold you accountable to your commitments to yourself.
In conclusion
Setting your intentions and goals for a new year is a good thing. How you do it and how you measure success is something else hence I have developed an online 4×90 minutes per week programme called 2022 & Beyond Intentions program which has been uniquely designed with the issues raised in this blog and more. Should you require more information please do not hesitate to contact us at info@zenandeleadership.com or call 012 998 7337 to book your seat.
P.S. Hurry up as the seats are filling up quickly and we start on the 1st of February 2022.
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