Skip the New Year’s Resolutions

As 2021 comes to a close, the pressure to make a positive change– both personal and professional– looms. 

New Year’s Resolutions shouldn’t feel like a burden.

Often, this sense of obligation can feel overwhelming and fruitless. We make promises to ourselves in January, then forget them by March, only to be reminded of our so-called “failure” when we stumble across our written down resolutions in July.

Do these New Year’s resolutions sound familiar to you?

• I will stop procrastinating. 
• I will be more organized. 
• I will stop doubting myself. 
• I will answer emails immediately. 
• I will invest 5% more in stocks. 

Most business owners have set goals similar to these, only to find themselves stuck in the same old habits year after year. But why don’t these kinds of resolutions pan out?

We cannot force ourselves to change lifelong habits, often borne out of circumstance rather than some personal “fault,” while we face the same stressors, pain points, and insecurities. 

Business owners who never take time off will never have time to create a sustainable organizational system. 

Executives who suffer from imposter syndrome will never miraculously learn strategies to end self-doubt.

Managers who grew up in a household that spent instead of saved, but refused to take a budgeting class, will never have 5% more to invest. 

The first step to accomplishing actual change is recognizing the “why.” Only then can you work to achieve the personal growth you’re seeking. 

Instead of creating these lofty and perhaps impossible aspirations, show yourself kindness as we turn the corner into 2022. 

If you must make resolutions, choose one that invites positivity and growth. Save your SMART goals for quarterly business reviews, not your personal standards by which you measure your success. 

Set up an appointment to speak to a therapist, pre-schedule vacation days, or take an online class. All of these are tangible and highly achievable. They are fundamental stepping stones to change, and you deserve to invest in experiences that foster personal development. 

Soon enough, you will see yourself bloom into a more self-aware and intentional person– One who crushes goals when they are able and takes breaks when they must, without guilt or apologies.