“The problem with the future is it keeps turning into the present.” Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Don’t commit to doing something for a year if you haven’t done it for a week.
Forget about radical change in 2019. Make one small change for five days.
Choose a New Year’s Resolution that requires five minutes a day, no more. At the end of five days, commit to continue for another five days, or not.
Choose a New Year’s Resolution that’s so small you can’t fail.
Seven steps to a New Year (Week):
Step one: Get a box of thank you notes.
Step two: Keep the thank you notes in plain view.
Step three: Give yourself a daily reminder to notice and record something good about ONE team member. Do this for five days. Focus on ONE person for five days.
Step four: Write a thank you note using pen and paper.
Step five: Personally, hand the note to your “gratitude target.”
Step six: Say, “I’ve noticed some things about you this week and I thought I’d write them down.”
Step seven: Walk away.
If you need help finding good things to notice, keep reading.
10 good things you could notice:
- Character traits that make a difference for others.
- Ways they practice organizational values.
- Every day practices you respect. (Don’t wait for extraordinary behaviors to express gratitude.)
- Actions that go beyond their job description.
- Ways they make life better for others.
- Things they are learning.
- How they are growing.
- Things they do to challenge the status quo.
- Skills you admire.
- Attitudes that improve your environment.
After I publish this post, I’m heading to the store for my box of thank you notes.
What simple behaviors might you suggest for New Year’s Resolutions?