Last January, I was preparing a short talk on New Years Resolutions for the Charlottesville Business Association. My youngest son said he had a better approach: make a resolution that is impossible to fulfill, fail by January third. and then don't feel guilty about it. (This was, I hope, a joke.) Hoping to provide a better approach, I suggested four ways to make better resolutions: Time Horizon, Content, Format, and Execution. Here is an outline for the talk:
New Year’s Resolutions: Four Ways to Success
• Time Horizon: One year is too long. How about “New Quarter’s Resolutions?"
• Content: If you work for a boss who gives you useful performance appraisals, start here in selecting content. Work from personality assesments (MBTI, enneagram), your personal mission satement (from Stephen Covey), and your own inventory
• Format:
o Goals should be specific, measurable
o Should focus on three basic relationships
- Self (physical, emotional, & mental)
- Others (significant & community)
- Spiritual
o Cover Four developmental functions
- Authenticity (knowing one’s true self)
- Significance (knowing one’s value in God’s eyes)
- Transparency (Being open to others)
- Solidarity (Being concerned for loved ones and community at large)
Choose one for your quarterly resolution
• Execution
- Ask for help from advisor, spiritual director, mentor, or other accountability partner. If we try to remake ourselves, we will have about as much luck as a statue taking hammer and chisel away from the Sculptor.
- Build in reinforcement mechanisms
- Give yourself time for the "inspirational moments" by finding time for quiet and for play
(This format is a version of Msgr. Chester Michael's personal growth plan, modified for those of us in the working world.)
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