Traditionally, this is the time of year we all decide to do something new in the year ahead. And most of us already know we will fail. Why? And … why?
Life frequently feels too fast, too frenetic and too much out of control to be able to afford us time to slow down and be introspective. Some of it has to do with the way our brain works as we get older. Some of it has to do with the way we experience the world.
Resolutions, of course, needn’t be hard to keep. Self-belief plays a key role here which also means so does grit. Developing a warrior mindset is key to succeeding at your stated goals and overcoming doubt.
Grit, incidentally, is also key to business. And here’s where it gets interesting. Fresh starts are mental milestones. Because our brain has learnt from our earliest years to build on what we have an discard what we don’t need, a new year, however artificial it may be as a time marker, symbolizes a moment to take stock, discard some mental baggage that may be holding us back and committing ourselves to a behavioral model designed to help us achieve different outcomes than what we achieved in the year past.
What a new year does and what the resolutions we make achieve is provide us with permission to take a chance. To improve our life.
Essentially that is the role of a resolution and that is the material essence of the New Year and its promise, which is why we need to me smarter at how we make resolutions and then smarter, too, when it comes at how we keep them.
It’s not just a question of willpower. it is a question of discipline and that can only come from a new level of awareness. Awareness not just of the world, but also of the self.
Without really finding out who you are you will never truly be able to get behind anything that requires effort. You will never change. You will not improve. You won’t manage to rewire your brain to get it to do what you want it to do.
So, start with that. State your resolutions as they define your intent. Your intent guides your actions. Your actions reflect your values. Your values arise from your belief system. Your belief system is the result of your perception. Perception is shaped by memories, knowledge and experience. Nothing now “just happens”.
I know you have coffee (and there is a good reason for that). I know you have sweets (donuts, croissants, cookies and chocolate cake). Have an awesome Sunday, wherever you are.
