Think, Plan, Do...

I am sure that we all sat down at the beginning of this year, nostalgically looking back over the last year and populated our list of new year's resolutions - many of us secretly admitting that the list looked very similar to the one we had created last year and the year before, and the year before that... Some of those resolutions might have applied to us personally, or even our work or business environment.

With a month into the new year, my inquiring mind begs to ask how many of the resolutions you set this year have already been brushed under the carpet, where you have reverted back to your old ways - taken off the running shoes when you thought the clouds on the other side of the mountain some 20 kilometers away might bring rain your way and you might get wet if you went for your jog, and instead opted for planting yourself back in front of the television just like you promised yourself you wouldn't, or decided to start the vegetable garden, only to find the garden half dug (after the first day's attempt), yet nothing planted. Or was it to lose weight (again - just with a different eating plan or a new diet that everyone says DOES work) - you can put the cookie down now, yes I am talking to you right now ...

The intention is good, and with all our might, we so want to believe that this year will be different... but then life happens and before we know it, we are back where we started - with a list of 'wanna haves' and nothing to show for it. Why do we do this to ourselves year in and year out, only to start the cycle again at the beginning of the following year?

The answer in my perspective is simple. It is one thing to have all the dreams and the goals in the world, it is another thing to make sure that you create a measurable plan with defined milestones and dates. 

Defining and planning our goal and how we are going to achieve it should take up almost 80% of our energy and 20% should focus on then getting the job done. We often fail because the scales are tipped in the other direction...

When you decide to take a holiday, you always know how you are going to get there, what the route is and where you might want to stop off. Where you are going to stay and the things you want to do whilst there. Surely then, we should have the same approach to our new year's resolutions.

So my challenge to you today is to go back and look at the goals you set yourself a month ago - you still have eleven months to achieve them. Figure out what the plan is and break it down into bite-sized chunks and set your milestones. If you don't measure it, it won't get done.