New Year Resolutions are tricky. This past year has shown us that planning ahead for an entire year can be tricky. While setting clear, measurable goals seems to be sound advice, it does not work for everyone. Some may never get to their goal, others reach the goal and then promptly slide back, because the motivation is gone. So here’s an alternative approach based on setting intentions and focusing on the process instead of an end goal. And even if you choose to set an end goal, focussing on the small steps between here and then can still help you to move along.
Intention setting in one single word
Every year, I decide on a single word to guide my actions in the upcoming months. This guiding star can help make decisions, even if the world radically changes around you. In 2020, my one word was `balance`. Having this word helped me as my world went into lockdown, reminding me to find a balance that works for me. Working from home while homeschooling while not forgetting my own need for movement and regular meditative practice. The result is a new dancing habit and a cello practice that grounds me (not so much the neighbours).
For 2021, I have chosen prosperity as my one word. I aim to apply a prosperity mindset to the following focus areas: finances, health, relationships, living space, learning opportunities. So, how does that look in real life?
Option 1: Focussed Interventions
Deciding on focus areas for your next year does not mean that you are going to work on everything at the same time. Instead, you can opt for giving each month a specific topic. In January you are going to focus on learning as much as possible about a new area in your line of work. In February, you’ll focus on figuring out how to post more intentionally on social media. And in March you can then focus on updating all your professional photos for consistency. By focussing on one topic at a time, you can see your progress instead of drowning in your own expectations.
Options 2: Creating Habits
The second option to advance in your focus areas is creating a process that helps you do a little bit every day or every week. The problem with measurable end goals is procrastination. If you want to read twelve books by the end of the year, it’s easy to postpone your reading yet another day. The alternative is to create a habit, or a regular activity that will get you closer to that goal. Instead of reading exactly twelve books this year, how about reading ten minutes before switching off the light every night? You might end up reading eleven books, or 16 - that depends on how long or dense the chosen books are. The real number doesn’t even matter. By the end of the year you’ll have a habit that will carry over into the next year.
Anything that you want to keep doing long term is a great candidate for creating a habit out of it. Decide when and how you are going to advance on your goal regularly. For me this means that I go for a run or do a dance workout every day, even if it’s just for a 15 min dash. Everyday I dedicate ten minutes to either meditate or practice playing the cello (both have the same effect on me when it comes to calming down the brain).
You can combine these habits with the focussed intervention approach. Choose one new habit to form every month and see how you can stack them together.
What do you want to do in 2021? And what do you want to stop doing?