Posted by Greg Rittler on January 9th, 2009

5 Strategies for Starting the Year

Goals are good, a clear picture is better

Happy New Year! Many individuals and organizations take time to set goals and make resolutions around the New Year. However, most people and many organizations scrap their goals within weeks of making them.

So how is it going with those resolutions so far?

What happens to our high aspirations? Why don’t we follow through with the things we say we want to change?

The reason we don’t keep our New Year’s resolutions is simple: we usually don’t develop resolutions that really resonate with what we want the most. It might have seemed like something you wanted. But you didn’t really intend to carry it out in the first place. You said you would, you worked hard for a few weeks, but in the end the way you were living was more comfortable or important to you than what you thought you wanted to change.

So can you succeed in changing in 2009?

The answer to that probably depends on you. You get to determine the velocity and trajectory of your own changes. There are other factors, of course, but you are the chief change leader in your own life regardless of external circumstances. Ruth Haley Barton would say it this way:

“The depth of desire has a great deal to do with the outcome of our life. Often, those who accomplish what they set out to do in life are not those who are the most talented or gifted or who have the best opportunities. Often they are the ones who are most deeply in touch with how badly they want whatever they want; they are the ones who consistently refuse to be deterred by the things that many of us allow to become excuses.”

So how do you move from where you are to where we want to go? You need more than just goals and resolutions. You need vision: a clear picture of where you would like to go so that you can align your actions this coming year with the vision you have for your life.

Here’s 5 principles that will help develop your vision and align your actions for the coming year:

1. Imagine the picture of what you want to be different in 365 days. What do you want to be different about you and your organization one year from today? Think deeply about what what that picture would look like. Take your time. Talk to your spouse. Talk to your friends and family. Develop a list of words that describe the changes that would take place. Don’t stop until the fog rises and you see something worth going after.

2. Consider using guiding principles rather than goals to guide you this coming year. Goals are important, but less flexible. In 2009, flexibility will be essential for individuals and organizations. Do this before developing detailed goals. These will guide you even when the goals need to change. Here are some examples:

Goal: I want to grow my business 10%
Principle: I want to have my business operating at the peak of its potential for 2009

Goal: I want to do x,y,z to increase my customer base by 20% over the next year
Principle: I want to expand our realm of influence by reaching the people that most need our product this coming year

Goal: I want to lose 10 lbs
Principle: I want my body to be operating at optimal health so that I can maximize my energy and time

Goal: I want to go on dates with my spouse
Principle: I want to intimately get to know and be known by my spouse

Don’t get me wrong, I think specific, measurable goals are important. But develop those after you have determined the principles that you want to operate by. The goals may change, but the principles will keep you moving in the right direction.

3. Develop words and phrases that are easy to remember and deeply meaningful to you. This one came home to me through two friends of mine, Paul MacMillan and Keith Yoder. Paul and Keith encouraged growth in much needed areas in my life and encouraged me to develop language for those areas. Words are powerful. Short, easily remembered phrases that convey deep meaning will carry you a long way toward what you desire even in times of great difficulty. I read a great blog post by Chris Brogan on this one on New Years Day. Check it out here.

4. Don’t settle for superficiality. Many times goals and resolutions are left on the surface. A conversation with my kids around the island in our kitchen on New Years Day showed this: “I want to be nicer”, “I want to practice more”, “I want to do better in school”. These are all good things but if you don’t dig deeper you won’t see the change you really want. Being nice, practicing more, and doing better in school are the products of character. To make the lasting change you want dig deep and find the root of the issues. Start at the roots and the tree will be taken care of naturally.

5. Stop thinking only about yourself. Most goals and resolutions are inwardly focused and about me. I’m going to…I want to…I need to… Power will come when the introspective focus of last weeks post turns to an outward focus to help, love, and care for others. You’ll know your life is heading in the right direction when the outcome of your vision, planning, and goal setting process is not all about you.

Keep moving forward,

Greg

p.s. Here’s a picture of what I am shooting for in 2009.

p.p.s. We are looking for 10 new clients to add to our work load for 2009. Want to jumpstart your process of getting from where you are to where you want to go? contact us.