Sign up to my newsletter to receive insights on creating a business and life you love straight to your inbox | Sign me up!

Additional menu

Rutter Coaching

Create Time For What Matters to You Most

New Year’s Resolutions

Ditch the New Year’s Resolutions fad! In 2020, try this instead…

posted on

Have you noticed the trend of people sharing all their achievements and disappointments of the past year and decade? 

It’s interesting how my LinkedIn feed has been full of people’s stories. Many were about what they’ve achieved in 2019. Some share their disappointments. Others, their aspirations for the year ahead.

So that got me wondering…

Do you reflect on the past year?

Do you set New Year’s Resolutions?

Long before becoming a coach, a friend proudly shared achieving his key resolutions and encouraged me to set mine at the start of the year.

I followed his advice. Looking back, I hit goals some and not others.

Since I’ve been running my coaching practice and have delved more into understanding personalities and what makes different people tick, I’ve seen time and time again that New Year’s Resolutions work for very few people.

These resolutions are typically big, bold statements, often unrealistic or too drastic from people’s current lifestyles.

Did you know that such goals tend to work well for only a small proportion of people who have an Upholder Tendency? (see this post about Gretchen Rubin’s Four Tendencies Framework)

If you’re dreading the idea of setting New Year’s resolutions because you’ve tried them and they didn’t work for you, or they just don’t appeal, and you’re open to new ideas that actually work, then you might like the approach I am about to share with you.

It’s far more holistic, meaningful and fulfilling enabling you to create success on your terms.

💡 Recommendation: When going through the steps below consider your life as a whole. Many of the people I work with tend to focus on their business.

Be sure to cover personal and business aspects when answering each question.

Step 1. Reflect on the past year

Our brains are geared towards focusing on the negative and exaggerating what hasn’t gone to plan. 

They also tend to diminish the positive in our lives. 

So, flick back through your journal, calendar and/or your memory of 2019 and ponder on:

  1. My Top 5 Achievements – Big or small, what am I most proud of?

  2. What 5 Challenges Did I Overcome? – What was tough? What did I conquer?

  3. What Did I Learn about Myself? – Strengths, weaknesses, talents, beliefs, values, hopes, fears…

  4. What New or Existing Relationships Did I Develop? – Who did I grow relationships with?

  5. What Difference Did I Make? – To the world, helping others regardless of how big or small.

  6. When Did I Have the Most Fun? – What was most enjoyable and/or memorable in 2019 for me?

Lastly: Write a headline sentence that summarises 2019.

Now, you’ve had a more balanced overview; you’re in the right frame of mind for the next step.

Step 2. Plan for a successful and fulfilling 2020

Thinking about the year ahead: What would you like to learn and achieve personally and professionally?

As you answer the questions below ponder on what really inspires and excites you.

  1. What Top 5 Things Do I Want to Achieve in 2020? – Big or small, what would make me proud?

  2. The 5 Main Challenges I anticipate in the Year Ahead – What obstacles could I face?/p>

  3. What Do I Want to Develop or Learn about Myself this Year? – Where will I stretch or grow myself?

  4. What Relationships Would I Like to Develop? – Who inspires, supports & encourages me?

  5. What Difference Would I Like to Make in 2020? – How could I help others, create or make a difference?

  6. How Will I Have Fun? – How will I have fun and enjoy myself in my personal and professional life?

Finally: How would you like to be able to summarise your 2020 in one headline sentence?

Step 3. Let go

Let go of what hasn’t served you so far and won’t support the life you want to create for yourself.

Consider:

  • Counterproductive behaviours
  • Bad habits
  • Unhelpful thought patterns
  • Feckless beliefs
  • Destructive relationships
  • Clutter

or anything else that has been holding you back from leading the life you desire.

Ok, this last step is probably the toughest. It’s easier said than done to make some of those changes and to let go of certain things fully.

Personally, my aim for this year is to manage them more effectively through coaching.

Has what you’ve read above given you some food for thought? Are you ready to put those plans into action in 2020 and make them a reality? Then Jump-Start Your Way to a Successful Balanced Life is perfect to help you accelerate making your plans a reality. Let’s chat!

Photo credit: akashskyprince0 – Pixabay