How you can be successful in achieving your Resolutions
How you can be successful in achieving your Resolutions
It is customary at the end of a year, the start of a new one or at personal life altering moments, to decide on a resolution i.e., a firm decision, a promise to ourselves to do or not to do something.
The question is, how successful are we in achieving our resolutions; and if not, what are the important variables, that will increase the likelihood of their success.
Well, research done has shown that, only 43% of people stuck to their resolutions after three months and only 19% for two years. This is an interesting fact.
So, is out there a systematic approach, a recipe that delivers successful resolutions?
R.Bandler and J.Grinder, the creators of Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), claim that three essential ingredients need to be present to be successful, in any context, and are practised by great performers in various fields, namely:
- Outcome
- You need to be clear in your mind of what you want, what it is you want to achieve and it should be S.M.A.R.T. i.e., Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time bound.
- Your outcome, in this case your resolution, needs to be stated in the positive e.g. “I want to start fresh and do…” or “I want to accomplish…” rather than saying “I want to quit…” or “I do not want…”. You frame in your mind what you Do want…. NOT what you do not want.
- What is the evidence that lets you know, you are achieving or have achieved, your Resolution? What will you see, hear or feel to let you know you have achieved it?
What would others see, hear and feel that lets them know you have achieved your Resolution? Frequently visualise your resolution. Connecting your resolution with your senses is necessary as it will enable you to have a powerful feeling attached to it and will be a compelling motivation towards achieving it. - Think of what you will gain by achieving your resolution and what you are willing to give up (if anything), to accomplish that.
- As you are going towards your resolution, who will support you? Who will be against you (if anyone)? Surround yourself with individuals who are supportive.
- If the resolution is too big to handle, break it down to smaller ones and celebrate as you, successfully, hit each one of them on the way to the eventual result.
- Write your resolution and its intermediate steps down and make it known publicly. By making an open declaration of your resolution, you will be more reluctant to changes.
- Awareness
You needto be vigilant whether you are on the right track, towards your resolution. For instance, are you self-sabotaging, using excuses, etc. Also, what responses do you get from the surrounding environment? Do you treat your, off target, behaviour as an opportunity to learn? Do you treat failures as a stepping stone or as an obstacle? What are you saying to yourself? What is your internal dialogue like, towards your resolution? - Flexibility
This is your ability to adjust your behaviour consciously, your responses appropriately to remain on track, towards your resolution.
Set up an evidence-based procedure i.e., a continuous feedback loop mechanism, to know that you are on track and the awareness to self-correct, when you veer of course.
Thus, the way you will structure your resolutions, thinking as in the 3 variables above, Outcome, Awareness and Flexibility, will determine your success, achieving them and sustaining them.
The way you sequence your thoughts and actions based on these variables is the same process, one goes through with any Goal related to business, relationships, finances, emotional health, success, contentment, well-being, physical fitness, etc.
A final note: There are two processes taking place simultaneously, whether embarking on achieving a resolution or any goal or venture. In particular,
An external process, everyone around you will see it, as you will strive to overcome visible challenges to reach a desired outcome.
The other is internal, an inner process. Others cannot see it but yourself, it is rather experiential. It takes place within your mind and deals with your anxieties, fears, limiting beliefs, assumptions, phobias, etc.
It is there, in your mind’s domain, that you, eventually, need to overcome these self-imposed obstacles, to access your full potential.
Coaching and NLP help to orchestrate an effective, efficient and swift response between these external & internal processes. We all go through these processes, in pursuit of the best version of ourselves.
If you want to understand, act.
Change comes from action and not intellectual understanding.
Find out what you want to achieve, pick your resolutions, observe the above 3 variables and make it happen.
Be the difference that makes the difference in your life.