An Alternative to new year resolutions is to name your year instead

Asheville Citizen Times
Printed 1/07

It's a well-practiced tradition to set resolutions and the beginning of the New Year.  However, despite our good intentions, most of us never get through January before we realize that we are not meeting our goals.  Consequently we feel like we've failed.

As an alternative to resolutions, I recommend that you name your year.  Instead of a detailed list of dos and don't, think of how you want to "be" in 2007. 

For example, you could name your year "The Year of Good Decisions".  Being mindful of this theme, you could develop a matrix for how you make business decisions so that they support your short and long-term goals.  

Or perhaps you could name your year either "The Year of the Employee" or "The Year of Client Appreciation".  Each of these themes would keep you focused on one of the most valuable resources a business can have…its people.  Then over the year you can develop programs and goals accordingly. 

Or maybe it will be the "The Year of Financial Clarity".  With this theme, you could take action to know how your money comes in, how it goes out and if it is supporting your long-term business and personal visions. 

By using the thematic approach of naming your year, you set an overall intention to "be" a certain way, thus leaving you open to a myriad of ways to accomplish your goals.  A traditional itemized list of do's and don'ts simply do not bring about this kind of success for most of us. 

Name your year and then allow the name to remind you of what you want for yourself and your business all through the year.