Somewhere between Christmas and New Year's, I found myself standing in a checkout line with a bag of salad and two clearance items when a brightly colored magazine caught my eye. "Imagine!," it read, "This Could Be Your Best Year Ever!" "Hmmm...really?" I thought to myself. "What possibly could make 2011 my best year ever?" As the line slowly moved, I continued focusing on the promise that was proclaimed in yellow. "Okay, I can live with that," I murmured, "but is it downhill from there?" I purchased the magazine along with the newest runner's companion, "Run Your Best Race Ever in 2011!" and headed home to chart my course for the New Year.
Halfway through the first magazine, I realized I had read this stuff before. Set your goals, write them down, make them realistic, give them timelines, and celebrate successes along the way. I grabbed the next magazine and started reading. Pick your race, set your goals, write them down, make them realistic, give them timelines, and celebrate successes along the way. Let me ask you, have you heard of these principles before? That's what I thought, of course you have! But what is going to make 2011 any better than 2010 or 2001 or even 1985? What is going to make this year different?
New Year's resolutions are fun to make and great to share, yet notoriously hard to keep as January chugs along in the ice, snow, and long winter nights. When it is SO January outside (my least favorite month of the year), sometimes the only hope to hang onto is a hot cup of coffee and a well-crafted list of goals, plans, and dreams. This year my resolutions include but are not limited to: Eat less, feast more!; Talk less, say more!; Drive less, journey more!; Complete marathon number five; Lose ten pounds; read Mark Twain's newest book (ironic since he's been dead for 100 years); Find a job*; Walk my dog daily; Be inspired; Use my joy filter; and Meet my neighbors.
I know a lot of people who over time have quit making New Year's resolutions, saying they do not work. When pressed for an explanation why, there's usually a lengthy story of some goal they set years ago that never came to fruition because of an unforeseen event or lack of genuine desire. Instead of resetting the goal for another time, they completely gave up on the whole process. That's kind of like "throwing the baby out with the bath water" if you ask me. But then again, I am naturally energized by dreaming, goal setting, and making plans, then beginning the path to completion.
Does this mean I accomplish every single thing I put on my resolution list? Not at all! I've been losing the same ten pounds for the last five years, but because it is on my list, at least I'm not gaining ten pounds. Sometimes the unintended consequence of goal-setting is an awareness of what needs attention, even if this isn't the year that it gets accomplished.
Motivation
No matter what time of year you set a goal, it is important to examine WHY you want to spend your time and energy on such a pursuit. Looking back over my list, the reason I want to make sure my dog Emily is walked daily (besides it being healthful for her) is because she is 50 pounds of happy with more energy than two nine-year old boys. As you can clearly see, this goal is not in isolation of many of my other goals. The residual benefits of this goal are: requiring me to be out among my neighbors, aid in healthy weight loss, be used as part of my training plan for my fifth marathon and encouraging me to "drive less, journey more!" I guess you can say my WHY is bigger than my BUT!
Change
We both know there are very legitimate reasons why a particular goal is not accomplished within a timeframe. For instance, if you decided last year you were going to complete a marathon and you broke your leg, obviously it would be hard for you to accomplish such a goal. Or perhaps your company had positioned itself to expand into a new market only to learn the recession has completely altered how business is being done. It was not the goal's fault or your lack of desire; it truly was extenuating circumstances that amended your plans.
However, there are other reasons why many goals are not achieved: the fear of failure and its ugly cousin the fear of change. "Change is a feared enemy," writes Margaret Wheatley in her book, Leadership and the New Science. In order to get from where you are to where you want to be, changes (both big and small) need to take place for successful achievement.
Courage
Whether you are a leader in a large organization or just an individual wanting to make some improvements, it takes a certain kind of courage to set goals... and lead well. Something quite transformative will take place when you sincerely go through the process. The stated goals have a way of influencing your attitude and behaviors which in turn determine where you will place your energy.
Often when we think of courage, we think of the soldier off to war in Afghanistan or a person here at home fighting the horrific effects of cancer, but courage isn't always so brazen. I have a plaque hanging in my home that reads, "Anyone can slay a dragon, but try waking up every morning and loving the world all over again. That's what takes a real hero." And so it is with you, calling forth your courage to set goals and explore new ways to lead well takes a "real hero."
Leadership
We all know successful leaders are not born; they are made over time and in the daily trenches in which we find ourselves. Yes, it is true some leaders have a natural bent toward leadership tendencies, but the rest of us need to be intentional about acquiring those qualities. As a leader, what is going to make 2011 better than 2010? What action or actions can you begin today that will propel you into the future, making this year different than last? As we take an optimistic look into the New Year with our race set before us, is it time for you to call forth your courage to set goals and explore new ways to lead?
"There are years that ask questions
and years that answer."
Lorene Rasmussen is a freelance writer, editor and regular contributor to The Leadership Advisor. She is looking forward to her best year ever, is currently training for her fifth marathon, and has started her new *job. Lorene earned her Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Boise State University and is a certified Life Coach through Genesis Enterprises in Seattle, Washington.
