Will Your New Year Be Happy?

So often at this time of year we start to think about what goals we should set for the year ahead and we are often encouraged to set “great big” goals for what we want to achieve in life or in business.

I would like to suggest a different strategy that you might like to try… just for this year. It is particularly useful for those of us who have big dreams but still might be a little shaky on the foundations… the simple things…. That would support us on our way to the bigger goals.

Let me explain… if your “big” goal for the last two years has been to run a marathon but you still haven’t made it then it might be good to ask what is getting in your way (rather than just giving yourself a hard time). It might be that in order to do the training for the marathon you have to run for Two hours every day before you go to work. Now that might sound easy in theory… you don’t start work till 9 and you only live 30 minutes from work… so what is the problem? Oh… you like watching that TV program that finishes around 11pm… which means you can’t get up in time to do your training. So ….after giving it careful thought you decide running the marathon is more important for you than watching TV (which you can always record) so….. for you a good place to start with your New Year’s resolutions would be to go to bed at 9pm so you can be up and go for your run before work every morning.

Perhaps your big goal is to start your own business but you haven’t managed it for the last Two years….still turning up to the “job” you hate. So… rather than having a goal of Starting your Business this year try to look at what is getting in your way. Maybe you need to save a certain amount of money to cover the costs and pay your rent while you get the business started. But after 2 years you don’t seem to be getting very far and it all seems unachieveable. Buying lunch every day and a few coffees seems to be making a dent in your available cash but it never seems to cross your mind that every coffee you buy means you have to stay in your job longer! What would happen if you set your goal this year to save a certain amount each week as well as looking for start-up grants. Be realistic about how much you can save (and still stay sane) but make sure you do it every week and tick it off (maybe make yourself one of those charts to mark your progress on). Make a date for when you should have enough (it might take more than one year) and put it in your diary to celebrate.

Just think about your own situation… you need to do a course to get a promotion but can’t find the study time, or you want to buy a new house, or study a new language… now work out what little practical things….usually habits….are getting in your way of finding the time or the money or whatever it is.  This is where you need to focus for the year….

Now that you have yourself refocused on smaller, more achievable, practical steps you can celebrate your progress every day. That way you will produce the positive neurochemicals to keep you on track towards your “big goals” and will build your confidence in your ability to achieve rather than having to end another year thinking you are a failure. I know which approach would make my New Year Happy………..

Sincerely  wishing you every success …every day of the Year

Ronita Neal

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