If you made some writing (or other) resolutions at the start of the year, the odds are that you haven't been able to carry them out as planned. One study says that 80% of resolutions fail.
If January 1st is a good time to make resolutions, February 1st is a great time to edit them.
By editing, I mean taking a look at the obstacles that have come up that you didn't anticipate, and figuring out ways around them. For instance:
- Did you set too many goals at once? Consider focusing on your top one or two.
- Were you unrealistic about how much time and/or effort your goal would take? Chunk it down into smaller pieces and set more realistic deadlines.
- Did you start something new but find that you don't enjoy it? Think about what you're trying to achieve and consider a different means to that end. For instance, maybe you joined a gym but don't like the atmosphere there. Presumably, your goal is to get fit so think about how else you might do that. Of course, sometimes reaching a goal requires us to do the hard things that aren't enjoyable. In that case, keep your eye on the endpoint.
- Are you finding your family or friends are not being supportive? First, try explaining to them why this goal is important to you and ask them to be supportive or at least stop being critical. Look for people, locally or online, who understand and share your goals and support each other.
- If you feel like abandoning a goal you considered important, be honest with yourself about why. Sometimes it does make sense to quit and move on rather than sticking with something that isn't giving you what you'd hoped. However, if it's because it's more difficult than you thought, consider getting help in the form of workshops, mentors, coaches, or online groups.
Don't assume that you'll need to go through this process only once; repeating it at least every three months will help you get on and stay on the right track to reaching your goals.
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If you want to be more productive, check out my book, "Focus: how to use targeted thinking to get more done." It's published by Pearson and available from Amazon or your other favorite bookseller.
