Knowledge Hoop

The beginning of a new year is always a time of reflection and goal setting.  As we enter a new year, most people experience one of two emotions:  elation in achieving their goals, or dread because they didn’t.  As a society, we often view things as all or nothing.  The problem with this approach is that it doesn’t allow us to complete a fair assessment of our performance. 

Think back to when you were in school, most of us had letter or number grades; pass or fail grades were a rarity.  Yet, this is often how we measure ourselves on a daily basis.  The pass or fail approach to measuring success often leads to self sabotage because we berate ourselves when we fall short.  So if you are elated because you’ve had a great year and achieved your goals, let me join you in celebrating your success!  Rock on!  On the other hand, if you didn’t make the cut and are a bit depressed, this article is for you.

If you’re reflecting on your year and you’re not too happy with your performance, or are embarrassed because you did not achieve your goals, this is your heart to heart moment.  Let’s consider the following:

• Did you make progress toward your goal?  For instance, your goal was to lose 20 lbs, but you lost 5 lbs.  A mile is comprised of 2,000 steps; what step are you on?  If you can honestly say that you are one step closer to your goal, cut yourself some slack and celebrate.  Focusing on the perceived failure will not help you succeed
• Did you expect to succeed?  This is a tough question because we all know that the answer should be “yes”, but I ask that you search your heart and answer this honestly.  The definition of self-fulfilling prophecy states that what you predict or believe will happen becomes your reality.  In essence, if you believe that you can achieve your goals; your behavior aligns with your beliefs to ensure success
• Was your goal a SMART goal (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-related)?  In the book, Rags to RICHES, we discuss goal setting.  Although the discussion is related to financial goals, the principles are universal.  Although one key ingredient to effective goal setting is ensuring that your goals are realistic, I urge you to dream big.  Don’t downsize your dream.  Remember, if you can believe it, you can achieve it.  If you understand that big dreams must be digested “one bite at a time”,  you can create the realistic stepping stones that will lead to your desired result

Ultimately, if you did not achieve the success you wanted in 2010, we’re now in 2011 – a new year, a new beginning.  If you continue to focus on what was not accomplished in 2010, you are wasting precious time because you cannot go back, but you can move forward.  As you make plans for 2011, celebrate every success no matter how small.  Remember, what you focus on expands.  Successful people speak well of themselves to themselves.  From a biblical perspective, there is nowhere in the Gospel that you can reference where Jesus puts himself down.  If He didn’t do it and we are made in His image, we should not do it either.

The New Year should be a time of celebration and great anticipation.  Don’t allow yourself to become a victim to your past.  Cindy Trimm, author of Commanding Your Morning, says it best:  “As your deepest driving desire is, so is your will; as your will is, so are your deeds; as your deeds are, so is your destiny.”  Remember that goal setting is not an all or nothing concept.  The New Year is a promise of a new beginning.  Embrace your new beginning and choose success.  Happy New Year!