This time of year is peculiar. One year coming to a close as a new year creeps closer. In our society the new year is seen as a clean slate, a chance for a new beginning, an opportunity to do things right “this time,” hence the millions of resolutions that are made the days before we capture our midnight kiss as the ball drops in Times Square.
Think about how you spent the 7 days between Christmas and New Years this year. If you were like most Americans those days were spent overindulging, under producing and making promises to yourself that you will most likely break by February.
Imagining how amazing life is going to be in the coming year is motivating and exciting. It’s fun to make plans for accomplishing the goals you have set for yourself. The type A crowd will even take the time to write their list out ensuring that all the goals they have listed are SMART goals.
It’s almost as if there is a reset button that gets pushed at 12 am every December 31st. But consider this a precaution to the new found goals you so eagerly wait to work towards in the new year: there will be rocky roads in your future. Uncomfortable moments to come. Hard times that will make you want to quit. Creating the goal and even carefully crafting a plan of execution is the easy part.
That first cold morning you choose to stay in bed instead of going to the gym.
The smell of pipping hot pizza that calls your name so hard you eat 3 slices.
Deciding to go golfing with your buddy rather than hustle to get your business going.
Buying a new TV with the cash you had saved up to pay down debt.
Whatever your goal is, you will fall short. If you’re honest with yourself, you can anticipate your weaknesses and would be much more successful if you recognized them in advance rather than panic at the first sign of trouble. But here is the silver lining: every night there is a reset button at 12 am, it’s not just on December 31st.
The most important piece missing from a person’s success plan is what they will do when they screw up. Every person, past and present, on this planet has screwed up a goal they have set out for themselves. It’s inevitable. But every day can be and should be seen the way most people see a new year.
Each day is a fresh start to work toward your goals. A bump in the road here or there isn’t a reason to scrap your goal until next year, rather it should be seen as a lesson to be learned. Pick yourself up, figure out why it happened and press onward.
Personally, yes, I do find motivation in the 12 am reset button on December 31st but I also find motivation the other 364 days during the year because each day matters.
Nothing should be a resolution.
If it’s important enough to you it won’t matter what day of the week, month or year it is, you will find means to achieve it.
And those 7 days between Christmas and New Years that are essentially wasted while making all your big plans for the New Year… yeah, those 7 days each year between the ages of 18 and 75 equal 399 days. Let me say that again… 399 days!
Think of all you can accomplish with an extra year… Spend less time planning and more time doing. You don’t need a new year, trust me.
A Pinch of Opinion 