New Years Resolution New Years Revolution New Years Evolution
In a world of memes on Instagram and more, we receive daily invitation to think big on our feeds. Think big, that it scares you. If you think big and you can imagine it, you don’t think big enough. A lot of pressure, huh? What if we don’t want to be scared? What if we think big and set targets high, higher than we would ever be able to achieve them — will we be happy about targets lower than that, but achieved, or will we constantly feel like a failure, because we never get where we dreamt of?
What is right and what is wrong? How big do the meme-posters actually dream? I want to have one Dollar for every meme posted on collective motivation. I would be a gazillionaire.
Here is my New Years confession: I read them, as well. Actually when I feel low, I am seeking these and enjoy the warmth in my chest, when I read them. Here is my recent favorite:
And I think, it’s a good thing. These motivational ideas work. Somehow. But at the end of the day, they only work until we are facing our own execution of life plans.
Let me share my personal list of 5 Golden Rules about New Years Resolutions with you:
If you want to go guns blazing, make sure you are not shooting blanks. Stay true with your self, about what you are capable of. But if you set a goal that feels like reaching for the stars, play it like a golden globe actor. Remind yourself to it, every day. Change your outfit, change your diet, change everything from day one — because you have just decided to be another person. So be another person and not just the x.x.1 upgrade of your previous version. There is nothing wrong with having such a bold intention, just be aware that talking about it, does not get you anywhere. You can do it, this is the time for it, you can consciously decide to transform into a new you. Make a plan, make a storyboard of your next you. And live by it from day one.
Set achievable goals. All the rest of us, who are less ballsy with the future version of ourselves, set goals that you will achieve. Because you actually don’t set goals for the sake of getting there, you set goals to proof to yourself that you are capable of following them. You have gained such a track-record of experience in setting goals and dropping them early, that you actually don’t even trust yourself, anymore with what you plan versus what you really live by. Set goals you know you will achieve, to go back to believing in yourself. Because if you don’t, nobody else will.
Set fictional goals. I would recommend looking into achievable goals, mainly. And then add one big fictional goal, every year. This is your compass and it does not matter too much, if you reach that goal. You might reach it a year later, nothing bad here. The more of the achievable goals reached, the more the fictional goals become realistic, as well.
Tell everyone about them. Talking about your small and big goals adds some pressure in delivering. You make people remind yourself to your own goals, you don’t want to disappoint them, you don’t want to face shame of not delivering. Some pressure is a good thing. It makes you work harder to get there. Plus: the more you talk with people about your goals, the more they might add perspectives on both the goal and how to get there.
For every missed goal, set a new one. Missing a goal does not necessarily mean that you have failed to get there. There are tons of reasons you decide to discontinue following a specific idea. It might just not make any sense, anymore. Kick it out of your agenda, do it consciously. Replace it with a new goal. And go for it.
I have heard good things about 2019. Let’s call it the achiever-year. Share your dreams with me, other peoples dreams have always been the most inspiring to me.
Best Niki