New Year, New You

How to make New Year’s resolutions last. By Deborah Olive.

When the clock struck midnight on December 31st, we welcomed a new year, expecting that a year from now our lives will be different. We’ll write our book, achieve relationship success, increase our business’s revenue, or lose extra pounds.

New Year’s resolutions are the launch pad for change. While some succeed in resolutions, others fail. We find successful people generally do three things.

First, define what success means to you. Your idea of success is as unique as your thumbprint. Be clear by defining WHAT you want and WHY you want it. Achieving your new level of success may seem fairly easy, or it may feel like climbing a mountain. Having summited Mt. Rainier several years ago, I find it a fitting allegory.

Three of my women friends and I tossed around the idea of achieving something significant together. We chose a climb of Mt. Ranier. One of the women in our group had previously participated in a fundraising climb for lung cancer, in honor of her father – and was unsuccessful. She wanted to try again – for her Dad. We had our WHY. The goal was clear, to stand on top of Mt. Rainier, so finding an image was easy. Whatever your idea of success, create a clear image.

Secondly, find a mentor or coach who has achieved what you want to achieve. If you want to learn a new sport, craft or skill, you naturally seek out someone who’s “been there.”

To successfully summit Mt. Rainier, we worked with a mountain man with over 20 years experience being a guide. We followed his advice regarding gear, learned to navigate with a map and compass, and trained under his direction.

Lastly, take action. Remember WHY you want this particular success and let it fuel your actions. A powerful question is, “What one step can I take now, with what I have, to move my goal forward?” Then, take it – even if the action is small.

Ultimately, our entire team of twelve summited Mt. Rainier. We were in action months before our climb - and it started with small steps. What are the small steps you can take now that will prepare you for bigger steps later?

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