New Year Resolutions

Paul Morrone |

Every year I hear about people establishing New Year resolutions. The list is endless and always seems to have the same items year in and year out. The most common ones seem to be:

  • Finally starting that diet and eating healthy (why start now and I do love pasta)
  • Exercising more regularly (my knee already hurt)
  • Reduce stress in my life (yeah sure)
  • Not drinking as much alcohol (I can’t give up drinking red wine or vodka for that matter)

I am as guilty of this rolling list as anyone else. But, what I can say with conviction is that I do maintain a list of goals and objectives, in writing, every year. By writing them down and sharing them with someone I have accountability. If my resolutions (goals) are not vocalized and shared with someone, then no one can track and challenge my success. That sounds like the safe way to go, or is it?

Over the years I have worked with numerous professional coaches. I am not referring to coaches of sports team. I am referring to professional coaches who guide business owners and entrepreneurs with various aspects of their businesses. I have retained coaches for branding, system processes and procedures, business meeting protocols, technology, goal setting, problem solving, lifestyle and work life balance and other aspects of running a business in an effective and efficient manner. One of the common themes with almost every coach I have worked with is having accountability. What does this have to do with New Year Resolutions? It has everything and nothing to do with it.

Having goals or resolutions are great but if you do not write them down and have some accountability you are setting yourself up for failure. One coach I worked with about 10 years ago was Ron Carson. He professed that your goals not only be written but they should be SMAC certified which means:

S-Specific

M-Measurable

A-Achievable

C-Compatible with your values, meaningful purpose and mission in life

I have consistently maintained written goals that adhere to this SMAC certified concept. This is how I keep myself accountable to those goals or in this case my New Year Resolutions. This is what works for me and not everyone has to be this anal to accomplish their goals and objectives. As I said, this is what works for me. So, I challenge you that if you have some goals and objectives that you want to accomplish, write them down. Better yet, find an accountability partner and have them do the same and you can be their accountability partner. Share your goals with each other and I will say it does work and provides motivation.

Here is to written goals and accomplishing all those New Year Resolutions!

Until the Next Tom’s Take…