by Cathy Sedacca
Happy New Year!
I’m not sure what it is about January 1 that feels so different from February 1 or March 1 or October 1, but it starts with a sense of hope and good intentions. And I always like the idea of a fresh start at the beginning of the year.
Merriam Webster defines “New Year’s resolution” as a promise to do something differently in the new year. I can’t be the only one surprised the definition does not end with, “typically broken by mid-February.”
Like most people, I have a spotty record when it comes to resolutions. Whether it’s been plans for reducing my weight or increasing my bank account, I’ve had my share of setbacks.
But last year I tried something different and it made a big difference.
Small-scale approach
One of the problems I have with New Year’s resolutions is that they are yearly goals. And a year is a long time.
Who can sustain a level of self-discipline for that long? Frankly, I lose interest.
I’m also a procrastinator. Why start January 1 if I have a whole year to get this done?
So last year, I tried something different. I set mini goals for myself, starting with a few 10-day goals.
When I succeeded at those, I set new goals to take me out to the end of January, and then a couple of new ones to take me to the end of March, and so on throughout the year.
The success I experienced with those first mini goals gave me the confidence and energy to take on the next set. And the short time frames also gave me the ability to shift focus or intensity throughout the year, depending on what I had going on in my life.
Of course, I still experienced my share of setbacks and lost motivation, but even then the short-term nature of my plan meant that I never felt like I’d blown my entire year.
I had the ability to refocus and start fresh at the end of each month, quarter or season, and get back on track.
So, as 2019 kicks off, I’m filled with the same sense of hope and good intentions as always, but this year I again plan to pursue my objectives one mini-goal at a time.
Although I may officially start tomorrow.
Cathy Sedacca is director of sales and marketing for Sage Business Credit. She partnered with Karen Turnquist to found Sage because she believed they could do what had been done by others, but better. Working closely with clients who share the same vision for their own business is the best part of her job.