The 3 Keys to a Great Year
When we make New Year’s resolutions, most of us have the best of intentions. We want to change and we believe we can if we just put our minds to it. The truth is, however, that after a few weeks many of us get discouraged and abandon the resolutions we’d made with such hope. Then, the inevitable cycle of poor self-talk and negative self-image begins as we beat ourselves up over our failings. The good news is that there is a better way. Here’s how to make the kinds of resolutions you can stick to – and have your best year yet.
Stop the drift
Author Napoleon Hill once said, “Drifting through life without aim or purpose is the first cause of failure.” When you’re trying to improve in some way, it’s not enough to make a resolution – you have to be intentional and you must be truly resolved. If you’re resolute in your heart and mind, the chance of drifting from your goals is massively reduced because you’re keeping your eyes on the target – and on the prize!
Improve your self-talk
When you make a resolution, you often experience a honeymoon phase initially. Everything goes well at the start and you believe you can stick to the promise you made yourself. The problem is that, if you later give up, you lose hope, you get discouraged and you begin to despair. When this happens repeatedly, the incriminating self-talk starts. You criticize yourself for your failures, your self-confidence crumbles and the bad habits start to creep back in. To stop this self-destructive cycle, it’s important to remember that you’re in control. No matter what’s going on externally, you are the director of your own life and you are in charge of what happens.
Eliminate bad habits
Norman Vincent Peale once said, “Repetition of the same thought or physical action develops into a habit, which repeated frequently enough becomes an automatic reflex.” If you want to live the good life, you need to set yourself up for success by making your good habits automatic. Ask yourself where you can make small incremental changes that will have a positive effect in all 5 Circles: spiritual, family, business, financial and personal. Even a 1% improvement adds up to a radical sea change over time. Start off small and not only will you make progress and build momentum, but your good habits will begin to outweigh your bad.
To win in 2023, you need to focus on the process, stop being so self-critical and implement small steps to create good habits. To learn more about having your best year ever, listen to the latest episode of “It’s a Good Life”.
