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How to Resuscitate Those Resolutions!

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Published: 07Jul2005
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Are you one of the 37% of Americans who made New Year resolutions? Now that the first quarter of the year is over, is your resolve already melting away like the spring thaw? Does your resolution need some resuscitation? Here’s a quick CPR course to breath new life into your resolve.

Check your “passion” rating

The reason why politicians pay big bucks for good speech writers is because effective language moves us. So, the first fix for an ailing resolution is to check how passionate you feel about it. If your meter is reading 50% and you need it at 100%, what can you do to make it more exciting and motivating for you? Use language to raise your passion rating. Here’s an example:

A very popular resolution that people pick is “to make more money”. I have to admit that the phrase by itself is pretty motivating. However, what if I were to amend it to “make more money so that I can spend 3 glorious weeks in Italy next spring”? Doesn’t your heart beat a little faster when you hear that? So, really think about your motivation for choosing the resolution you have and make sure that you have the words to adequately remind you of the very much desired outcome.

Check your “commitment” meter

Ask yourself whether you are truly committed to fulfilling your resolution, or whether you are only interested. The difference, if you don’t already know, is that you are merely interested if you stick with it only when it is convenient. But you are truly committed if you stick with it regardless of whether it is convenient or not. I know a runner is committed when I see him out in the pitch dark, or the pouring rain. So, are you committed to the actions you have to take to make your resolution come true? If not, can you pick other actions that you can commit to? If you are unwilling to commit, your chances of success are not great.

Enlist help on accountability

The quickest test for true commitment is whether you are willing to “publish” your resolution. Are you willing to share it with someone you know who will support you? If you are, then do it RIGHT NOW. Enlist the help of a good friend and ask him/her to hold you accountable. Tell him what you need to do to be successful (improve your diet, work out 4 times a week for 30 minutes). Then give him permission and actually request that he check up on you throughout the year. Just that little bit of added pressure will give that commitment reading a boost when you need it.

I have a friend who is a CPA and is always crazed during tax season. He wanted to make a commitment to keep up with his running despite the heavy workload. He shared his commitment with me, and I call him every week or two just to check if he has been running. As a result, he’s managed to run several times a week through this tax season.

Keep it in front of you

Write out your resolution and your commitment in great big letters and keep it in front of you every day. Also, devise a very simple system to keep track of your effort and your progress. I keep track of my promise to exercise four times a week by using a year at a glance calendar. I put a purple mark on each day that I exercised. When it is Wednesday, and I only see one purple mark, I know that it is time for me to get in gear for the rest of the week. Keep it simple so you will use it. Keep it accessible so it is harder for you to just ignore it.

Celebrate small successes

Break down your goals into smaller steps. So, if your resolution is to lose 20 pounds in 2005, give yourself intermediate steps like losing 2 pounds this month. When you achieve that goal, give yourself permission (as I matter of fact, I insists upon it) to celebrate and acknowledge yourself for the good work you have done. You will be much more motivated to continue with your efforts.

This is it - my CPR course for resuscitating your resolutions. The most important thing to remember is why this resolution is meaningful to you. When the reason is compelling enough, you will find the determination (sometimes with a little help from a friend) to get to the finish line. Oh, by the way, if you are in the majority that didn’t make a New Years resolution, this CPR also works on goals that you have that is wilting slightly from neglect. Go through the same exercise and breathe new life into them!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Do you need some structure and accountability to propel you forward? Personal Coach Inez Ng has worked with professionals and entrepreneurs to transform their aspirations into reality. While focusing on specific areas, her coaching positively impacts all areas of her clients’ lives. Sign up to receive helpful articles like this one monthly at http://www.realizationsunltd.com/newsletter.html

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