New Year's Resolutions, Why I Don't Make Them.

New Year’s resolutions.  An excuse to list all the great things we’ll do this year, that, for most people, last until maybe February….maybe.

New+Year+Resolutions+Clock © by husin.sani

(Little financial tip, if you ever want to buy fitness equipment wait until March or so and begin shopping garage sales, e-bay, and Craigslist.  That’s the normal time frame for folks that bought it for Christmas and resolved to exercise more in the New Year to give up and put it up for sale.)

Instead I decided many years ago to have two things in my life:

1. Goals
2. Resolutions 

But wait I hear you say…didn’t you say you DON’T set New Year’s Resolutions?  Yes.  Instead I set resolutions that are absolutes that define who I am and what I believe.  Some may not initially see the difference between a Goal and a Resolution, and others may not get what I mean by Resolutions that define who I am, so let me give a bit more detail.

A goal is defined by Webster’s as: the result or achievement toward which effort is directed;aim; end. I go a bit further.  Most people have probably read or heard some motivational speaker define a goal by five characteristics to make it a SMART goal.

• Specific – Goals should define in as much detail as possible what the outcome desired is.
• Measurable – Goals should have an outcome that can be measured.  This also means that the goal has to be written.  If it isn’t in writing it isn’t really measurable. 
• Attainable – Goals should be planned in a way that makes the goal reachable.
• Relevant – Goals needs to be something YOU want to do. Not someone else’s goal for you.
• Time-framed – Goals need to have a time frame by which they should occur.

Polaroid stickies © by Bert Heymans

For most of my life the Resolutions I set were just a vague wish.  ”I want to lose weight.”  This might as well be “I want to magically fly to the moon.”  Instead I can turn that wish into a reality by turning it into a goal.  (This isn’t a goal of mine, but an example.)

Assuming that I wanted this they need to define the what and why to make it specific.  ”I want to lose 30 pounds, so I can feel better about myself.”  Then I need to add a time frame so it can be measured and planned.  ”I want to lose 30 pounds, so I can feel better about myself, over the next 90 days.”  Now I can do math to start defining the path to attaining the outcome I want.  Thirty pounds over 90 days means I need to lose a pound every three days, or about 2 pounds a week.  So I need to begin to up my caloric burn and decrease my caloric intake, taking measurements along the way to define the route to achieving the goal.  

These are the sorts of things I set for myself.  I have goals in my career, in my finances, in my relationships, in my church, in my spiritual walk, in my education, and in many other areas.  

So getting back to Resolutions that aren’t New Year’s Resolutions….I have some things that are Absolutes.  For example, I resolved to NEVER borrow money again.  Never for anything or for any length of time.  My wife and I spent three years fighting our way out of debt and we drew a line in the sand saying NEVER AGAIN.  I also have resolved that I will no longer be driven by fear.  Instead, I’ll rest in contentment, while being driven by goals.  I have resolved that I will always be a giver.  I will always serve others before I serve myself.

These absolutes that I RESOLVE to always do or never do define who I am. 

So, do you set goals, make resolutions or both?  Do you have Absolutes that define who you are?  

If you haven’t, now may be the time.  If you’d like to sit down and talk through some of your goals, I’d be happy to help.

Please, leave a comment below telling me what you think.