Cracking the Resolution Code

The eagerly anticipated 2011 is finally within believing distance, and in time honored tradition that period is upon us again, for sussing ourselves out; aiming at goals, painting dreams and ordering that much sought-after existence upgrade. 

But Resolutionism is inherently a hard thing to pull off. And most of the time it's because we approach it - harmlessly and unintentionally - in a very ego centric and outside-in way. And nobody likes a bruised ego, especially a self-inflected one.

So here's a few pointers designed - harmlessly and very intentionally -  to assist you in nailing 2011 the way it deserves to be nailed, and move towards cracking the Resolution Code. 

1.   Forget 2010: 

 It sucked (generally), and we all did the best we could. Leave it, and anything you projected onto it (like resolutions) behind. Never recycle an old resolution. Tweek it slightly, re-colour it, lower or higher its' thresholds but never recycle. Especially one from last year.

2. Be as Value driven as you can:

 Setting New Year goals that are based on your primary, individual Values, not only renders them more powerful and authentic, but it also makes them more vital and inspirational to achieve.  

Of course, to do this one has to understand what their primary Values are. It's unhealthy how few do. So, if you need a little good ole fashioned self-examination, I thoroughly recommend spending an hour or so following the steps and tips provided by these lovely people: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_85.htm 

Basing Resolutions on your Values is being 100% true to yourself; turning that unintentional 'ego centric outside in' model on its head, and ensuring you launch yourself into a New Year really getting and digging who you are, and how you can become even more diggable before the start of the next. 

3. Write them down:

There's a statistic somewhere (that I can only hedge on right now), that suggests; the simple act of writing your goals or Resolutions down, takes you more than half way towards achieving them. 

NB: Typing is NOT writing.

Without going into too much detail as to how; by actually writing down your Resolutions you're adding a huge amount of intent to achieving them, and going that all important 4 for 

4: 1) processing and thinking about each one as you write, 2) reading each one as you write, 

3) physically feeling each one as you write, and 4) hearing each one as you write. Either by speaking out loud, or as 85% of us will do, reel them off in our heads.

Turbo-charged intent...

4. Inspire yourself: 

By their very definition; goals, dreams and Resolutions should dazzle us. Scare us a little, pull us up by our boot straps and excite us into take deep, anticipating breaths.

So once you've arrived at a final list, make sure you get a burst of adrenaline or excitement in your belly when you read each one. That's feeling. That's your fuel to keep you motivated throughout the year.

If there's anything on that list that doesn't create that buzz, challenge it. Check it against your Values. Ask yourself if it's epic and intense enough to warrant the grandiose title of 'Resolution'. If it doesn't inflate or reshape it accordingly, or simply take it off and put on tomorrow's basic to do list...because chances are, that's where it belongs. 

Ok, so by now you should be looking at a final list. So here's the big one...

5. Make sure you 'Believe' that can achieve each one:

And I mean 'really' believe.

Anyone can passionately write down and get fired up that they want to be a millionaire this time next year, and declare "yup, doable". But let's be honest, if that same someone has never made more than $100k in a year before now, chances are deep down where it counts, they simply won't believe 7 figures is indeed "doable". Far from it.

Contrary to what many might be thinking right now, this is not pissing on the goal-setting bonfire. It's sensibly deploying THE most fundamental truism there is, in the field of personal development. If you do not believe, for whatever reason, that you can get/earn/manifest/create/attract whatever it is you want, it ain't gonna happen. Period. 

Setting Resolutions that fall outside of your belief system is borderline self-harm. And unsurprisingly they're rarely, if ever, aligned with your Values. 

So, how to test if you 'really' believe you can achieve a Resolution? Well first and foremost, simply by being conscious of the trap is a good start. Again, like Values, it's amazing how few people are aware of how much gravity and importance we need to place on supporting (or limiting) beliefs in all areas of our lives. So to coin a cliche, 'knowledge is power' and simply by being aware that your belief system can either propel or stall your intentions in life, represents a massive part of the job.

The rest is common sense and exercising a little intuition. But if any limiting belief obstacles do come up, you have 3 basic choices:

1. Ditch the Resolution (booooooo!)

2. Shape the Resolution until if feels 'really' doable (hey, $250k isn't a bad pay day, and will feed your confidence and belief to go bigger and better in 2012)

3. Challenge and change the belief to support the goal: (ding ding!)

(New post to come with some good stuff on doing that)

So, forget last year, lock down your values, write (not type) it all down, make sure it inspires and make double sure its all doable. Then what?

6. Start taking action now!

Let's face it Jan 1st is a write off for most. Jan 2nd it's straight back to the office. Which means it's Jan 4th or 5th before most of us feel human enough to start getting serious. Psychologically this doesn't  bode well for a guiltless 2011, so it makes perfect sense to get a few punches in early. 

We've got 4 1/2 days till the NYE melt down. If you can take action towards your Resolutions before then, do it! Anything. Any action, gesture of intent or commitment will carry you sailing through till the 4th/5th guilt free and with one, or both feet on the ladder to Resolution salvation. 

7. Use technology to keep focused

The biggest barrier to achieving Resolutions is loss of focus and concentration (which leads to apathy). Hardly surprising since we are more wired than ever before, and the amount of message units we are forced to absorb every day is increasing exponentially. Needless to say it's a noisy, busy, hectic world to contend with.

But one solution lies in the very technology responsible for the information overload; turning it into a pseudo, watch tapping life coach. Setting auto prompts and calendar series reminders on laptops and smart phones, is a sure fire way of giving yourself a healthy weekly/monthly/quarterly reminder that you've got some scores to settle with yourself. 

It may sound a touch geeky, but if you're really serious about nailing your 2011 Resolutions; assessing, reviewing and taking action towards them as regularly as every week (depending on what time constraints you've placed on each of them) is going to be paramount.

So there you have it. I hope some of this proves useful to somebody, somewhere. And if you want to explore anymore on the subjects of Values or Beliefs please feel free to tap me with up with any questions. I'll do my best to help, or point you in the right direction.

Good things and here's to nailing 2011.

CB