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NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS (Don't Do It)
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| Guest post by: James Ladd |
Article Overview: DON'T DO IT! At least don't do it now. Why do what, for the most part is expected as a part of the New Year's paranoia. What is this obsession anyway with making resolutions as a part of welcoming in the New Year?
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Free Download - Can Guardian Angels Teach Us Anything? By James Ladd |
NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS (Don't Do It)
DON'T DO IT! At least don't do it now. Why do what, for the most part is expected as a part of the New Year's paranoia. What is this obsession anyway with making resolutions as a part of welcoming in the New Year?
Recently, I was invited to talk on a local drive home radio show about New Year's Resolutions. Specifically, I was asked to comment on why so many people that make resolutions never seem to follow through on them?
I believe that a number of factors are at play here. First and foremost, it is because people do not know themselves well enough, nor do they understand why they have been living with the particular negative behaviour they want to change or eliminate. Let me explain; if you smoke, what is it about your personality that allows you to behave in such a destructive way? Who are you emotionally, physically, spiritually and intellectually? And what type of smoker are you? Do you smoke to reduce anxiety, do you crave cigarettes or are you psychologically addicted, is it a habit, is it a pleasurable feeling for you, or do you like handling a cigarette? These questions need to be answered before you can strategize in a way that maximizes the likelihood of you succeeding in changing or eliminating a negative habit.
If you follow my previous coaching advice and get to the point of actually setting a goal(s) for yourself, you stand a better chance of being successful if they meet the following criteria:
SPECIFIC: Instead of setting a vague goal such as lose weight, set a specific goal, such as; 'I want to lose weight and I plan to do it by swimming 3 times a week and cutting 800 calories a day from my intake.' People who set specific goals are more successful than those who don't. Make sure you write your goals down, and any smaller interim steps within your goal, as this will help you to define them.
MEASURABLE: Instead of 'I want to lose weight,' set a goal like 'I want to lose 15 kg so I can achieve my goal of 85 kg.'
ACHIEVABLE: Do you have the skills and resources needed to complete the goal? If you want to enter an organized cycle ride in the future -- do you have a bike to train for the ride? Can you ride during daylight hours? Is your goal practical? Does it fit in with your lifestyle and your family?
RELEVANT: Is your goal relevant to your bigger picture goals? Does it fit with the long term vision for your life?
TIMELY: Make sure your goal has a deadline -- and that you have set dates for individual steps within your main goal. For example, 'I'll be able to walk to the local shops and back by February.'
There are a couple of other points worth making to close. Enlist the support of those around you. A coach wouldn't hurt! Remember that it is always easier to move toward something then away from something....positive-negative. And when attempting to eliminate a negative addition substitute with a positive one.
If you think a coach could help you set New Year's Resolutions any time of the year drop me an e-mail or just call.
Happy New Year everyone.
James Ladd
Your Personal Coach
Article Tags: anxiety, better chance, calories, cigarette, cigarettes, habit, home radio, interim steps, kg, likelihood, new year, obsession, paranoia, personality, radio show, reso, resolutions, vague goal
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About the Author: James Ladd RSS for James's articles - Visit James's website JAMES LADD B.A., C.H.R.P., C.P.I.R. Life & Business Coach, author and speaker, who has without a doubt been down the "Road Less Traveled," having survived and thrived after a double lung transplant in August of 2003. Jim comes to this place in his incredible life journey with a dynamic combination of work and life experience. Jim worked as an Organizational & Human Resource Development Specialist for over 35 years in the private, public & non-profit sectors and also managed a provincial government employee assistance program serving over 15,000 employees. He has authored and facilitated a wide variety of training programs covering such diverse topics as; managing organizational change, conflict resolution, performance management, managing and/or coping with stress, interviewing & counseling skills, supervisory & management skills. His most recent publication titled; "THE PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION GUIDE: Raising Awareness of Self to Slay the Dragon," is available through his website. In the community he became an award winning football coach over the course of 25 years (Coach of the Year 3M of Canada, Coach of the Year, Developmental Category, Coaches Assoc. of Manitoba Click here to visit James's website GIVING UP ON BEING PERFECT Letting Go To Become Yourself MOST OF US REMAIN STRANGERS THE VALUE OF A PERSONAL MISSION STATEMENT LEAN INTO YOUR DISCOMFORT EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE |
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