80% Fail – Just Quit Now and Begin Again
New Year’s resolutions are the triumph of optimism over experience. Why not quit now and begin again realistically?
When New Year’s comes around, gyms fill up. Regulars are frustrated. But don’t worry. In a few weeks 80% of the crowd will give up on their commitment. (US News)
A series of small successes is better than one big failure.
4 ways to make realistic resolutions:
#1. Forget about fuzzy resolutions like getting in shape.
Choose a specific goal like taking a 15-minute-walk five times this week.
#2. Choose short timelines, not year-long goals.
Don’t commit to do something for a year if you haven’t already done it for a month.
Make a week long resolution. Commit to evaluate and recommit at the end of the week.
#3. Find a ‘with’.
The most important factor of success is finding someone to go on the journey with you.
We change and grow in community, not isolation.
#4. Plan to start again, even before you fail the first time.
Jettison perfectionism. You’re going to fail.
You double the negative impact of failure by beating yourself up when you fail.
How might leaders make smarter resolutions?
Bonus material:
How to Make (and Keep) a New Year’s Resolution (NY Times)
2020 Really Could be a New Year, a new you! How to Keep Those Resolutions (USA Today)
“Fail” is such a harsh word; how about “falling short?”
“Just Quit Now” lacks leadership potential;
“Just Do It” rings right, albeit hit the benchmarks and re-evaluate as you go, and “Begin Again” routinely.
#2 from yesterday is powerful meditation:
“Seek Elegance.”
Elegance being HOW to achieve simple resolution of complex objectives with the least effort and resources?
Actually achieving elegance (as opposed to short cuts) CREATES energy to apply to the larger goal/strategy. Elegance is the rush that propels, the image that compels.
Happy New Year!
Don’t Stop! chasing your resolve and always Begin Again!
Thanks Rurbane. Yes, fail feels like a harsh word.
Just quit now could reflect the courage to stop doing something that isn’t working so you have capacity to start doing something that makes more sense.
Happy New Year
Interesting post and so true about the New Year’s resolution and going to the gym. Lots of research shows that writing down a goal makes it more likely you are going to achieve the goal. Further, if you share the goal with someone else (an accountability partner if you will) you are much more likely to reach the goal. Great stuff.
Thanks Jay. Yes, good points on reaching goals. I’m a big fan of accountability partners as long as both people are personally engaged in the process.
Very good message. I value the philosophy that “Failure is not final.” I believe that as long as you have not quit, in your actions and in your heart, failure is not final.
Thanks Randy. Yes, I’m with you. Failure isn’t final. The proof of that idea is that you and I are still here. 🙂
It is not a fail if you learn, its a lesson. With that said some lesson are costly. As far as making a plan to stop doing something just because its Jan 1? When you see something that needs to be fixed FIX IT. Don’t wait. Right on Dan.
Thanks Walt. Nicely said. Some lessons are costly. Mistakes of arrogance, for example, are generally more costly than mistakes of wisdom. I think wise people tend to learn quickly and move on.
Thanks Dan. Reminds me of 6 years ago. Made a new year’s resolution to run every day even though I had never been a runner. Made it through 2/21 when I slipped and fell on the ice with my very first step. Missing that day – breaking my streak – was devastating because I knew how hard starting again would be having just failed such a high-handed goal. Obviously I could now never succeed at running every day.
Luckily, the universe smiled and driving to work I heard they were opening the lottery to enter the Chicago marathon. I entered the lottery, universe smiled again and I got in. That let me set new developmental goals for the race, the 7 months of training and for the year.
I can’t express how much that experience taught me about goals, success, failures and myself that year.
Thanks for the timely reminder, Dan!
Happy New Year!
John
After a health setback seven years ago, I stopped my jogging routine. In three years, I gained nearly 30 pounds. At that point, I made a commitment to myself to get back into jogging. I figured that I make commitments to others, then why not make one to myself? Sure, holidays and vacations can get me off my game, but my commitment to myself always motivates me to get back on track.