Happy 2024 my friends!
Into the new year we bravely venture, looking back only to reminisce and reflect for the benefit of the future…
This time of year brings with it so much talk of goals and ambitions.
Very naturally the passing on of the old year and birth of the new reminds us that time continues to march on – something we can easily lose sight of in the middle of our daily routine. This remembrance shocks us back into proper priorities for a time.
But usually, only for a short time.
One study on New Year’s resolutions conducted in 2007 showed that although 52% of participants were confident at the start that they would meet their goals, only 12% actually felt they fulfilled their resolutions by the end.
Last year, one gym chain even went so far as to refuse new memberships on New Year’s Day to keep out the wave of well-meaning but inconsistent January joiners. It seems so many of us have a hard time prioritizing our goals.
But so many of these goals have to do with our health – exercising, eating better, staying hydrated, quitting smoking, drinking less alcohol, improving mental health… the stakes are too high for us to fail ourselves when we only have one body and one brain to work with in our lives.
With that in mind, what are you going to do with your year?
What will you become? What will you build? What are you focusing on that will last longer than this month and past 2024?
I recommend you take this time, while goals are still at the forefront of the common conversation, and consider how you want to use this year for your benefit…
Here’s why:
1. Better focus and improved productivity.
Think about a picture – clarity and focus go hand-in-hand, right? Whatever you see with greater clarity is in focus. When we have clarity about what is important to us, we are able to focus on it with greater attention and intention.
And focus is like a productivity multiplier. We are able to accomplish more when our efforts are directed and concentrated.
2. Higher motivation and engagement.
Imagine that you had a goal to slim down. Which of these two phrases is more inspiring?
“I want to lose weight.”
Or…
“I want to release 10 kilos of body weight so I can go down a few dress sizes and feel confident at my sister’s wedding.”
There’s a clear winner there!
When we have a specific idea of what we want to accomplish, we are able to get emotionally involved with it; our imagination takes hold and presents to our mind’s eye a story full of details to fall in love with. And we hold onto that story when we get frustrated or discouraged or run into difficulties.
3. Sense of accomplishment.
Goals serve an important purpose – they give us something to grow toward. The majority of our pleasure in achieving a goal comes not from the goal itself but from having done all the work to earn the accomplishment.
Keeping these goals in our minds and then watching them come to fruition allows us to prove to ourselves that we are capable – and this boosts our confidence and self-esteem.
4. Increased resilience.
Undertaking a goal requires you to go on a journey, and no journey is without its setbacks. When we take up a goal and commit to it, we navigate those setbacks to pursue our desire and build up our problem-solving skills and determination.
Recently my husband and I while in Tenerife took time to map out our goals for the year.
We put a date on the calendar and just used that time to make strategic plans leading up to our desires. We wanted to be intentional about what we are building.
Fifteen months ago we became parents. And since then, I have come to understand the challenges of harmonizing work, life, family, and personal goals in a whole new way.
But Florin and I feel very much that we want to grow – we want to set an example for our son to follow, so we have made room in our lives for visioning, planning, and achieving.
I would encourage you to do the same!
Make today your masterpiece!
Florina
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