GUEST WRITER: Gustavo Reyes (About Me)

On January first (1), one of my friends posted a question on Facebook: “Do people still make new year’s  resolutions?” That was actually a good question and got me thinking about an answer for a few days.

Well, I think people should still make resolutions. A new year is a natural time cycle and many  people or organizations close the cycle at the end of the year. But it can be done at any other point in time as well. The important thing is to continue making resolutions.  What would happen if you followed through with these 5 ways to fulfill your New Year’s resolutions in 2022?

The best way to keep your resolutions this year is to stay focused.

To Be or Not To Be

When most people think about resolutions, they think about making a long list of wants. And unfortunately, they hope that by looking at the list each day, they will achieve their goals. But more often than not, those lists stay in a wishful state. What if you took a different approach this year? 

In the corporate world, they talk about the “desired future state”; that is, the state the leaders envision  for the organization in the future or the direction in which the organization should be moving. They call this the “To Be” state. But in order to discuss a desired future state, you have to first identify the current state of the organization. They call this the “As Is” state.  

Once both states have been identified, it should be easier for the leaders to  identify, plan, organize and execute the required actions. Essentially, they will have actionable steps on how to take the organization from the “As Is” state  to the “To Be” state. Evidently, identifying the desired future state for an organization is crucial, because it helps to  orchestrate the efforts and resources more efficiently. Could it be the same at a personal level?  

As individuals, we should be targeting growth in different aspects of our lives: economically,  emotionally, professionally, socially, spiritually, etc. 

How Can You Achieve Your Goals?

The following list outlines 5 ways to fulfill your new year’s resolutions in 2022: 

1. Stay focused 

The first way to keep your resolutions this year is to stay focused. It’s better to give attention to a few things at a time and focus your effort and energy on achieving tangible results. In this case, less is more.  

2. Plan 

Second on the list of ways to fulfill your new year’s resolutions is to plan. If your resolution will be completed in the long-term, then it is important to create a plan with milestones and deadlines. Doing so will help you organize your efforts towards the larger goal. For example, let’s say you want to learn a new language in 2 years. You should plan the time you will  dedicate per week or month and the activities you will be performing. Be prepared to adjust your plan according to the results or your circumstances as the plan progresses. Identify  potential bottlenecks and the best way to handle them.  

3. Be accountable 

Subsequently, make sure you are held accountable. If nobody knows about your resolutions, then, they can’t help you if you fail to keep them. So, tell your family and friends about your resolutions and ask them to follow your progress. Be sure that at least some of your activities are performed within a group. As an illustration, let’s say you want to lose some weight. Join fitness classes,  meet with friends for jogging or working out and make it a social activity. Why? Because accountability will be created naturally.  

4. Track your progress 

Next on the list of ways to fulfill your resolutions is to track your progress. Develop key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure your progress. Perhaps you are trying to develop your social skills. Track how many new people you’ve met each month or how many new conversations you’ve started. KPIs will determine your progress and if you are on the path to complete your goal. 

5. Reward your effort 

Last on the list, but certainly not the least important is to reward your effort. Celebrate your progress as you complete every milestone in your plan.  Recognize the effort and results you get and keep yourself motivated!  

Life is flux. This is a famous statement from Heraclitus, meaning that the nature of life itself is change. Since everything is changing, we should promote it in a positive way, at a personal level and within our communities and society.

Are you ready to test out these 5 ways to fulfill your New Year’s resolutions in 2022? Let’s try to create a better version of ourselves with our resolutions for the new year. Cheers!