More Unveiling

I kinda left you hanging with some things to think about and digest (sorry, I still have a full belly and food on my mind) in the last blog entry. Certainly, they’re interesting key points to discern. Do we set ourselves up for failure every year because of the New Year’s Resolutions we make? Or is it our lack of knowledge, understanding, planning and beliefs in regards to our resolutions that sets us up for failure, not the resolutions?

Let us continue to peel the layers of the New Year’s Resolutions, so we can get some answers and become educated at making our resolutions this year; therefore, sticking with them and achieving real success in 2007.

In about 30 days, you will set and hopefully write your resolutions for the upcoming year…so, I’m wondering, how much preparing are you doing now and in the next 30 days for that?

I can already hear some people say: “Preparation, I don’t plan on doing any preparation. Since I didn’t accomplish last year’s resolution, I’m planning on making the same one again this year”

As a Coach and former Marine I can tell you and pardon the expression but it’s extremely accurate; “piss” poor proper prior planning and preparation will result in…well, I don’t think I need to say it, but here we have one of the top reasons why we fail at following through with our resolutions. We don’t plan to fail, we fail to plan.

Truth is—resolutions are normally made without giving them full thoughts and considerations. Here is a question to ask yourself: how complex is the resolution you’re about to make?

Let’s do some dissecting of one of the top 10 most common resolutions people make from the previous blog, the resolution to find a better job. What does that involve?

1. Having a clear picture of your current status and situation
2. Having a clear understanding of why you want a new and better job
3. Knowing what you are seeking from the new job
1. Better pay
2. Better work environment
3. More challenges
4. Greater Opportunities
5. New career path
4. How are you going to go about finding your better job?
5. Do you need to go back to school first? Get updated certifications?
6. Are you prepared to relocate? What does that involve?
7. Is your resume updated?
8. Do you have financial reserves?
9. Do you have an established and current networking circle?
   

Okay, so that was just from the top of my head…a few things to start thinking about and considering. I’m thinking that perhaps making a New Year’s Resolution to update your resume and re-establish a solid networking circle would get you closer to the ultimate goal of finding a better job. And by the way, I can think of a slew of considerations involved in updating a resume and establishing a solid network.

Dwell on that for a little while. I would love your thoughts and comments. Next, we’ll address what’s at the root of some of those top 10 most common resolutions.

Coach Ann

The Unveiling of New Year Resolutions

Now, that we’ve had a bit of a history lesson about New Year Resolutions it’s time to buckle down and really discuss what we know about them.

Top 10 Most Common New Year Resolutions are:

1. Exercise more/Lose weight

2. Stop smoking

3. Stick to a budget

4. Save or earn more money

5. Find a better job

6. Become more organized

7. Stop procrastinating

8. Be more patient at work/with others

9. Eat healthier

10. Become a better person

Looking at the top 10 most common New Year Resolutions it’s apparent that we, those of us who make resolutions, do so with a goal in mind. There is something we wish to be, accomplish, change or obtain. However, what most of us do, is arbitrarily set our resolutions based on our shortfalls or a desired outcome and end result in mind.

For example, my shortfall is, I spend too much money and can’t handle money so my resolution for this year is, to stick to a budget? Just some food for thought, but if you don’t know how to manage your budget or handle money, what does sticking to a budget mean to you?

So to no surprise, a few weeks (for some it’s just a few days and a selected few, it might be months) into the New Year, we renounce our resolutions and surrender ourselves to the way things are and have always been. Here are 10 reasons why:

Top 10 Most Common Reasons Why People Will Not Succeed:

1. Made too big of a resolution

2. Made the wrong resolution

3. Lacked a plan for success

4. Made a resolution for someone else

5. Lacked support

6. Lacked a genuine commitment

7. Lacked motivation

8. Lacked passion towards the resolution(s)

9. Insufficient resources

10. Had little to no accountability

Hmmm…does this mean that every year we have a tradition that technically sets up for failure? Or, is it our lack of knowledge, understanding, planning and beliefs in regards to our resolutions that sets us up for failure, not the resolutions?

Coach Ann Bernard

Origins of New Year's Resolutions

Funny thing about getting the New Year Resolution Program together, it occurred to me that I don’t even know where the tradition comes from…so I did what every person does nowadays, I googled it and discovered a few interesting things.

Did you know that…

The celebration of the New Year is the oldest of all holidays. It was first observed in ancient Babylon about 4000 years ago. In the years around 2000 BC, the Babylonian New Year began with the first New Moon (actually the first visible cresent) after the Vernal Equinox (first day of spring). The beginning of spring is a logical time to start a new year. After all, it is the season of rebirth, of planting new crops, and of blossoming. January 1, on the other hand, has no astronomical nor agricultural significance. It is purely arbitrary.

Traditionally, it was thought that one could affect the luck they would have throughout the coming year by what they did or ate on the first day of the year. For that reason, it has become common for folks to celebrate the first few minutes of a brand new year in the company of family and friends. Parties often last into the middle of the night after the ringing in of a new year. It was once believed that the first visitor on New Year's Day would bring either good luck or bad luck the rest of the year. It was particularly lucky if that visitor happened to be a tall dark-haired man.

The Babylonian New Year celebration lasted for eleven days. Each day had its own particular mode of celebration, but it is safe to say that modern New Year's Eve festivities pale in comparison. For more information about modern day, New Year festivities: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Year's_Day

The tradition of the New Year's resolutions also dates back to the early Babylonians. The early Babylonian's most popular resolution was to return borrowed farm equipment.

The early Christians believed the first day of the New Year should be spent reflecting on past mistakes and resolving to improve oneself in the new year

(Dictionary.com)Resolution is from the Latin resolutio, resolution- from resolvere meaning "to loosen or dissolve again," (re- + solvere) which was the original meaning of resolve. The meaning "to determine or decide upon a course of action, etc." was first used in English around 1523.

Now, that I think about it, what I read is what I actually already knew. There has always been something about entering “into” the New Year that has appealed to the people of the world, as a time for; considering new beginnings, doing things “right” from this new day forward and setting out towards self-improvements.

Coach Ann Bernard