Many people make New Year’s Resolutions but find it hard to achieve those goals.
Some of the reasons are that they are either too vague or unrealistic, but usually it is because it is hard to stick with it.
Motivation takes a lot of discipline, and some may realize that it just isn’t worth the time, energy, and/or money to continue on.
Leaders do the same thing in that they set goals for their organization starting with some meaningful date like the new year, new fiscal year, or maybe the conclusion of a project, a retreat, a merger, or acquisition.
Effective leaders map out a plan that is comprehensive and easy-to-follow, however, we know many leaders do not do this.
On top of that, most leaders do not consider what to do when the excitement of the goal has waned.
If there is a deadline approaching the work will get done, but will the end product be only satisfactory and not amazing?
An approach to consider is instead of making New Year’s Resolutions why not pick a word that will define your entire year.
I asked some friends and colleagues to give me their words and they came up with “healthy”, “committed”, “fun”, “grit”, and “thriving”.
Obviously, I also heard “growth” but one that stuck out with me is “contented”.
This person said that we should strive to be in a present state in order to realize that we should be content in our lives.
It is not that we don’t want to achieve more but it’s important to recognize that there is already a lot of good happening in our lives, and we may need to be patient with ourselves so we don’t get overwhelmed or burnt out.
If you are wondering, my word is “boundaries”.
I realized that my own self-care was taking a back seat to other things that may be important to others but really did not need to involve me.
I also feel that for me to exercise more, sleep better, and even find time to write more, it is necessary for me to say “no”.
By looking at this word holistically, it really touches on all facets of my life.
This is why defining your year with one word can be so much more impactful because not only is it easy to remember, but it also makes us pause and ask ourselves if what we want or what we are asked to do fits into the definition of that word.
By doing this, it really forces us to evaluate what we are committing to without needing to make excuses or feel guilty.
This will take some practice so make sure you post your word in several places as a constant reminder.
Leaders could also try this approach.
By defining the project, goal, or initiative in one word can really bring employees together.
It can motivate them even more if they are part of the decision-making process in determining what that word should be.
Another benefit is that it builds a more collaborative and cohesive workplace when everyone feels they are empowered in decisions that affect not only their department or team but the organization overall.
Feeling success should be experienced by everyone in the company, not just a few.
Wishing you the best in 2025. I would like to hear what word will define your year!