Design Thinking Lauren Trlin Business Coach

Forget New Years’ Resolutions (2 Techniques You Should Try Instead)

Resolutions made for the New Year can be fickle.

We set out with the best intentions but then we start to slide. Life gets in the way, we get in the way and before we know it, we’re back to square one.

Here are 2 tools that you should seriously consider if you want to excel at your goals in the New Year.

Don’t focus on SMART, focus on your WIG

In The 4 Disciplines of Execution the authors state that we need to learn how to set our most Wildly Important Goals and to then focus on each goal, one at a time.

The 4 Disciplines of Execution can be summarised as follows:

  • Discipline 1: Focus on the Wildly Important – In order to do more, you need to do less. Start by selecting 1 (or 2) extremely important goals to focus on in the New Year, instead of trying to significantly improve everything all at once.
  • Discipline 2: Act on the Lead Measures – this is based on the principle that not all actions are created equal. Some actions have more impact than others when reaching for a goal. It is important to distinguish between lead measures, the actions that drive success, and lag measures, the tracking measurements of the wildly important goal (because they only look to the past).
  • Discipline 3: Keep a compelling scoreboard – the premise behind this discipline is that people play differently when they’re keeping score. This is the discipline of engagement. Create a vision board and systems to track your progress. 
  • Discipline 4: Create accountability – this is where execution happens. It is based on that principle of accountability: that unless we consistently hold each other accountable, the goals naturally disintegrate into the whirlwind of everyday life and busyness. Set up a group of friends that can keep you accountable or find a life coach that can assist you in staying accountable.

Once you’ve set out your goals for the year, it may be beneficial to focus on 1 or 2 at a time. Want to lose weight, start a business and study an MBA? You may be putting too much on your plate if you want to do it all at once.

Focus on one thing and do it well. Once it becomes a habit, you can then move towards fulfilling your next WIG.

The Law of F*ck Yes or No

If you’ve set a resolution for the New Year and it’s already beginning to fall apart, it may not be an important enough resolution to begin with.

Don’t bother with goals or dreams that you aren’t really inspired about.

How can you check? Here are two ways:

Hold Your Goal Up Against Your Heart

You need to hold your goal up against your heart (metaphorically) and ask the following:

  • How would I feel if I achieve this goal?
  • Will I feel excited or just “meh” about it?
  • Does this goal energise me?
  • Is this goal aligned with my Vision, Values and Purpose?

If your goal isn’t aligned with your Vision, Values and Purpose and it doesn’t energise you then seriously have a think about whether it’s worth adding to your Resolutions list.

Is it a Hell Yeah?!

In one of my favourite articles, Mark Manson talks about the The Law of “Fuck Yes or No”.

The article is based on a blog post written by the entrepreneur Derek Sivers who wrote, “If I’m not saying “Hell Yeah!” to something, then I say no.” Manson similarly applied this principle to dating and relationships. 

If we apply this principle to New Years’ Resolutions I would suggest that you do not agree to the resolution, in whatever capacity, unless you are inspired to say “F*ck Yes, I really want to make this happen”. 

If you aren’t saying YES to this resolution and you cannot reframe the resolution so that it ties in with your core values, it may be worth considering if the resolution is important in the first place.

Next week I’ll be sharing my Action Plan for kicking goals with you.

Until then, here’s to Happiness in the Hustle!

L x

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