Successful New Year's Resolutions

In a few days, 2011 rolls into our lives. For many of us, it means a new set of resolutions get set (or old resolutions get back on the top of the pile) ... and last until January 8th, if we're lucky. Why do we fail? Primarily because we rely on our willpower.

When I quit smoking a number of years ago, I contributed a lot of my success to willpower. As I reflect back, however, I realize there was a plan. I had done research on the health benefits of smoking - there were none. I made myself sick by getting to the point where I was smoking two packs a day ... and had to quit! I planned to quit at midnight on January 1st, and I did.

The point, I guess, is that your new year's resolutions are most likely to be achieved if you train your brain to link positive emotions to new habits and condition yourself to new behaviors. Relying on willpower is difficult because that springs from the part of your brain that is easily overwhelmed. When pursuit of that resolution bumps into an obstacle, you give in to an emotional desire for instant gratification. Then you feel bad and try again. And give up again.

An article on how to keep a resolution in the December 22nd edition of the Wall Street Journal suggests that "keeping a resolution requires a detailed plan, with emotional rewards when milestones are reached ... and even a strategy when there's a setback."

Does your business have a plan to fulfill your mission ... the reason you're in business? Have you outlined the details and established some milestones to accomplish the objectives you've always wanted to achieve? Think how rewarding it could be for you and your team to achieve a major milestone such as $1 million in sales for a month, and mark that achievement with a day spent rewarding your employees for their performance.

Imagine how loyal your employees would be if they knew there was a strategy in place for when the competition gained an edge or some unforeseen situation arose.

As an example, I was on the inside when the U.S. Junior Chamber of Commerce lost a Supreme Court decision and were ordered to admit women. The move should have been made before it went to the Supreme Court, but the point was the organization had no strategy in place for losing the decision. It wound up being poorly handled and disastrous for the organization.

A plan is essential to living up to your personal resolutions, and vital to the long-term success of your business, and it's okay to ask for help. Resolutions, like your business plan, are a fluid process requiring change and conditioning, knowledge and focus, persistence and desire.