How to kick off 2008 on the right foot

How to kick off 2008 on the right foot

It’s another New Year (whoo-hoo!) and you are ready and poised to make some New Year’s resolutions. Wait! STOP! Full brakes on! Did you know that about 50 percent of Americans make New Year's Eve resolutions, but only 15 percent manage to keep them, according to www.realscienceofsuccess.com/?

One of the solutions is to set smaller goals and to create new month resolutions instead of New Year's resolutions. This prevents you from forgetting your objectives and getting diverted from everyday hassles, according to experts.

At Alchemy, we believe without a picture of what success looks like and a firm grasp on your end state, your goals will remain unrealized. Once that picture is put in a public location where you can’t miss it, you will be reminded of the things that you want and accelerate your ability to achieve them.

Try something simple. On the left side of a piece of paper write “Current state”, on the right side write “New Desired Reality”. Between the two draw 3 arrows with room to write on them. Then, assess and capture on the left side of your page, all of the aspects and qualities of your current state: “great relationship”, “spending too much money”, “bored at work”, “love my job”, etc. Then on the right side of the paper, write all of the things you would like to have in place ONE YEAR from today. These must be things you can actually imagine yourself doing, having or being. The more qualities you place there, the easier it is for you to achieve them. “New, creative job”, “financial stability”, “adventure”, “fun”, “quality time with family”, etc.

Now that you have your current and new desired state, look at the gap between and ask yourself, “What are the 3 boldest things I can do to get from where I am now to where I want to be?” Brainstorm a few to get a list of things to choose from. Then run each idea through these criteria, “Will this help me achieve my goals?” “Is this bold enough?” “Can I imagine a list of 5-10 things that are action steps underneath this bold step that I will need to take to achieve it?” If you find that your step is too tactical, it will seem like you can complete it in a day. A bold step will require constant attention and focus to maintain progress on this bridge from one side to the other. Once you have decided on your 3 boldest steps, write one on each of your arrows in the middle of your page. Now you have a roadmap for success, or what we call at Alchemy a "Snapshot of the Big Picture".

The key here is to now place this picture or map in a place where you will see it everyday. Tape it on the bathroom mirror, your car dashboard or the office wall next to your desk. Place it somewhere where you cannot miss it. Then build out the action items for each of your bold steps. Every week make a list of 5 per bold step for a total of 15 actions. Choose your top 3 of the fifteen that will give you the most bang for your buck and do them. Each week review what you have done and what you have to do now. If something remains on your list for two weeks, discard it, it isn’t important enough or you do not have the energy to complete it, so let it go.

In 3 months, take 2 hours to review your map and note your progress. You’ll be surprised at how many things on the right side of that map will have started happening. Celebrate even the smallest success you have. Validation builds success, so become your own cheerleader and watch how that New Desired Reality becomes the only reality you live in!