How time flies! Already the first month of the new year is coming to an end. The novelty of the new year has started wearing off. This is also the time when your new year’s resolutions start going on the back burner, before becoming a shaming memory!

New year resolutions get so soon abandoned that they have become the butt of the jokes. Some people now even refrain from making them. Of course, you could make plans any time of the year, but the beginning of the year will always remain special. It helps to get a reminder to look at yourself objectively and make some plans. The optimism around you can give you the inspiration to change a few things for good.

Let’s address now the elephant in the room. Here are the steps you should take to be the one who not only makes the resolutions but also keeps them:

  1. Get clarity – Your actions should not be knee-jerk reactions. Although you think that you have a sort of a plan, you should invest time in getting more clarity about what it takes to achieve your goal. A mind map will help you to make such a comprehensive plan. Get on with your drawing material or simply pick up a mind map application and flesh out the detailed action plan.
  2. Categorize your actions – All actions are not identical. Success lies in how well you could distinguish them and put them in the right spaces, so as to not miss them. Let’s see what are they:
    1. Some actions go into the calendar as they are time-sensitive, say attending some webinar, or blocking the time of your coach.
    2. Some actions get into your regular to-do list. The idea here is to be looking out for the right time slots to work on them than simply dumping them into your calendar and then just snoozing them all.  You should also arrange the required material such as bookmarking the web pages, arranging the audio material in your favorite application, gathering Youtube videos into the “Watch Later” library, etc.
    3. Some actions will require to be getting into your rituals. Ensure that the way you have your to-do list, you should also have a written down rituals list. 
  3. Work on the thus-made wonderful action plan – The whole effort of organizing your actions in the previous step will pay you in this step. This practice will not only help you to reduce resistance in taking those actions but also help you to get creative to find those disposable time slots to make the best use of them and push your actions.
  4. Record your progress – Maintain how you are progressing with your actions in a journal. Make a table or chart for a nice visual representation, if possible. As you start finishing activities, start marking them in your chart. This will act like a pat on your own back which will help you to sustain your willpower to go on with the remaining actions.

That’s all to it! As I often quote Shane Parrish, ” Ideas are cheap. Execution is expensive. The ability to execute separates people, not the ability to come up with ideas”. Make this year memorable by making some of your new year’s resolutions!

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