To Skip Or Not To Skip The Resolution

I’m 40 years old (almost 41) and I still don’t know how I feel about New Year’s Resolutions. Kind of funny coming from the girl that is all about goal setting.

Are resolutions a set up for failure or a set up for success? I could debate either (and win)!

Let’s look at the most popular resolutions: diet and exercise. We spend the months of November and December overeating and over drinking, then come January everyone is talking diets and dry months. Nope, not me. I don’t like being told I have to do something because the rest of the world says I need to.

In reality, I set goals throughout the year. I have my macro goal (the big goal) but I have far more micro goals (small goals). I find that for my personality it is very important I have a multitude of small wins instead of one big win in a year. The small wins are what keep me going. Not to mention the celebration of the small wins keep me excited. What about you? Have you taken the time to reflect on your personality and know what drives you?

Several years ago I was struggling to stay the course with the company I was working for (not from their perspective but from my own). They were a great company, but I wanted to branch out and launch my own company. I wasn’t sure I knew how to do it or if I had the chops to make it happen.

For a year I kept what I called a brag book. It was a spiral notebook that sat on my desk. I wrote every win of every size (and the date) in that book. Over time I started to fill the pages. I needed to show myself that I really could do what it was that I was dreaming about. My micro goals were reinforcing that my macro goal was possible.

Today I have what I call a win wall. I post my wins on a designated wall in my office.

I’m a human and I run a business, which means I get far more No Thank Yous then I do Yeses. That’s life. To keep myself tracking forward and moving in the direction of my macro goal I make sure I take note of my micro wins. I’ve actually learned the micro wins are more important.

So…

As you are being pressured to announce your resolution or to find your word, I’m going to encourage you to start a win wall or a brag book or both!

I know you had a whole lot of micro wins in 2023. Sure you had some losses too, but what about those wins? Did you celebrate them? Did you recognize them? Did you write them down? Do you remember them? Or did you just blow bast them?

As you approach the New Year, take a moment and look back at all the challenges you overcame, the uncomfortable situations you stepped into, the new relationships you took a chance on. Celebrate all of that! Those are wins! Without those small wins you’ll never step into the big win! As we move into a new year I encourage you to celebrate all the wins (no matter the size) throughout the entire year and not just focus on the big win (and punish yourself until you get there).

Back to diet and exercise. If that is your resolution: yay you! You want to lose 10 - 20 - 30 pounds? I think you have a better shot getting there by celebrating the fact you got up and you got going. When you celebrate showing up you tend to show up again. I read recently that a 12 minute mile and six minute mile are both the same distance. If you can’t run the six minute mile that doesn’t mean you quit. You keep showing up. Celebrate the fact you can and you will.

Now go do it. You only have to show up for today. Tomorrow will take care of itself.

Celebrate the wins.

See you in 2024.

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*Cover photo featuring a personal win: biking Sedona, AZ!!

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