It's Another New Year...New Resolutions too…

We all have greeted our friends, family, colleague, acquaintances "Happy New Year!" and have been greeted in return, not just in the year 2007 but in 2006, 2005 and so on and so forth. The celebration of the New Year is the oldest of all holidays dating back to as early as 2000 BC, to the time of Babylonians. The tradition of making New Year's resolutions also dates back to the early Babylonians. Popular modern resolutions losing weight or quit smoking has evolved over the years from the early Babylonian's most popular resolution to return borrowed farm equipment.

‘New Year Resolutions’ or ‘Goal Setting’…whatever we choose to term it and whenever we make the resolutions or set the goals, this age-old tradition is actually the foundation for personal and business success. We have always lectured or have been lectured upon the efficacy of SMART Goals. It is time, however, to expand the meaning of SMART Goals. And, perhaps, one word per letter is no longer enough to define a useful acronym.

Let us stretch our imagination and re-look at the words that define successful goals in goal setting.

SMART Acronym Newly Defined For Goal Setting

· Start with S, in addition to ‘Specific’ does not Stretching, Systematic, Synergistic, Significant and Shifting round out the picture?

· M means ‘Measurable’ but also stands for Meaningful, Memorable, Motivating and even, Magical.

· A is an ‘Achievable’ goal but A also denotes Action plans, Accountability, Acumen and Agreed-upon.

· R means ‘Relevant’ but the words Realistic, Reasonable, Resonating, Results-oriented, Rewarding, Responsible, Reliable, Rooted and Remarkable also starts with the same letter.

· T means ‘Time-based’ and it also represents Timely, Tangible and Thoughtful.

The Goal Is Yours – You Own the Goal

Whether the goal is a promotion at work, a streamlined work process, a new customer, a published article, an exercise program or weight loss, the goal must be owned. You are unlikely to achieve your manager’s goal, your spouse’s goal or the goal you think you “ought” to work on this year. Your goals must generate excitement when you ponder their accomplishment. You must believe there is something in it for you to accomplish them.

Gary Ryan Blair said, "New Year's is the only holiday that celebrates the passage of time. Perhaps that's why, as the final seconds of a old year ticks away, we become introspective. Inevitably, that
introspection turns to thoughts of self-improvement and the annual ritual of making
resolutions, which offer the first of many important tools for remaking ourselves!"
The unfortunate reality, of course, is that for most people the year goes by with little or no change. We do our jobs and live our lives, but our dreams don't come true. Some things do change, but life doesn't seem all that different. Not really…like we hoped.

But why do we fail? Honest individuals will confess that they didn’t give the best of their efforts to make the resolutions work. Escapists would come up with a fine excuse like the situations changed and there was lots of work pressure and such. Being neutral to both the groups, let us explore the 10 Reasons Why People Fail:

1. Taking Action Without Planning

When it comes to your goals and future, impulsiveness is the mother of regret. Considerable thought must be given to the ends as well as the means of your strategy.

2. Planning Without Taking Action

Endless preparation is worse than action without planning. Accept that things will never be perfect. Questions will forever exist. Plan well and launch!

3. Unrealistic Timeframes and Expectations

Life is a process not an event. Nothing great was ever built easily. Exercise wisdom and learn to be patient. Unfortunately most things in life take longer and cost more than the best-laid plans anticipate.

4. Reasons "Why" Are Unclear

Why you want to achieve a goal is more important than the goal itself. Before taking action on anything it is imperative that you ask yourself this key question: "Why do I want to achieve this goal?"

5. Denial of Reality

It's far easier to deny reality than it is to accept it. And far too many people take what seems like the easy way out. Success is information dependent, when we deny reality for whatever reason, we devalue the integrity of our information, thus ensuring failure.

6. Conflicting Values

When we have not clarified our reasons why or defined what success means to us personally, we operate on someone else's definition. When that occurs values are sure to be in conflict and progress is short- circuited.

7. Diffusion of Energy

Attempting to do too much is a recipe for mediocrity. Rather than doing an excellent job at a few chosen goals we spread our energies over a vast terrain and diffuse what matters most; time and energy.

8. Lack of Focus

Success demands focus. It is the hallmark of all truly great people. Your ability to get and remain focused or lack there of is perhaps the key determinant of your success.

9. Trying To Do It All Alone

Nobody goes through life alone, we all need the cooperation and assistance of others. Put your pride aside and learn to ask for help when you need it. Learn to leverage and share knowledge for your own well being as well as for others who are dependent upon your cooperation.

10. Fear Of Failure

Fear of failure is The "Grand Daddy" of them all. Far too many dreams have suffocated and died because of it. Fear resides where knowledge does not exist; the more you know about anything the less intimidated that you feel. Replace your fears with knowledge and watch your performance leap.

The New Year is a good time to make resolutions but what is the point of resolutions if we can't keep them? Before resolving to re-resolve our year’s resolutions, let’s try to resolve the guiding commandments to do so.

10 Commandments Of Goal-Setting

1. Thou Shall Be Decisive

Success is a choice. You must decide what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it. No one else can, will, or should do that for you.

2. Thou Shall Stay Focused

A close relative to being decisive, but your ability to sustain your focus from beginning to end determines the timing and condition of your outcomes.

3. Thou Shall Welcome Failure

The fundamental question is not whether you should accept failure. You have no choice but to expect it as a temporary condition on the path way of progress. Rather, the question is how to anticipate failure and redirect resources to grow from the experience.

4. Thou Shall Write Down Thy Goals

Your mind while blessed with permanent memory is cursed with lousy recall. People forget things. Avoid the temptation of being cute; Write down your goals.

5. Thou Shall Plan Thoroughly

Planning saves 10 to 1 in execution. Proper planning prevents poor performance.

6. Thou Shall Involve Others

Nobody goes through life alone. Establish your own "Personal Board of Directors", people whose wisdom, knowledge and character you respect to help you achieve your goals.

7. Thou Shall Take Purposeful Action

Success is not a spectator sport - achievement demands action. You cannot expect to arrive at success without having made the trip.

8. Thou Shall Reward Thyself

Rewards work! Think of what you will give yourself as a result of your hard work, focus and persistence - you deserve it!

9. Thou Shall Inspect What Thy Expect

The Shelf life of all plans is limited. No plan holds up against opposition. Everything changes. Therefore inspect frequently and closely, it's an insurance policy on your success.

10. Thou Shall Maintain Personal Integrity

Maintain your commitment to your commitment. Set your goals, promise yourself that you will achieve them. Eliminate wiggle room and excuses. That's personal integrity!

There are 345 days more until 2008!

…so Happy New Year once again and Happy Resolving and keeping to the resolutions…till next year!