Jan 26, 2022 9:26:19 AM

New year, new…?

*possibly the most clichéd article you’ll read all year

I don’t make new year’s resolutions. I don’t do ‘veganuary’, ‘dry-january’ or ‘whatever-anuary’. That doesn’t mean that I don’t take the renewing calendar as a time to pause for thought and look forward to the next 12 months – that’s right, forward. Not dwelling on, just considering / taking any lessons learned from the past year(s), marking them as ‘noted’ and looking at how to go on into the next 12 months.

I only use the new year as a marker as I have no other significant requirement that dictates when to consider the ‘what next’. Work out when your best time is and do it.

But what to consider? Well, regardless of a personal or business decision, the key word is ‘achievable’ in my book. In a past life, I had to annually consider my professional goals against SMART:

Specific (simple, sensible, significant)
Measurable (meaningful, motivating)
Achievable (agreed, attainable)
Relevant (reasonable, realistic and resourced, results-based)
Time bound (time-based, time limited, time/cost limited, timely, time-sensitive)

I am sure many of you are familiar with the SMART guide to goal setting but the aim of this article is not to explain how it is used. Whilst in a general sense using the SMART structure can be a useful exercise, I have always found A (Achievable) to be of the most importance. Why?

Every human wants something different over and above food, water, clothing, sleep, and shelter. Every human reacts and thrives differently to the various ‘pressures’ to complete (or compete!). Regardless of the motivators, I would argue that EVERY human will falter and mentally suffer if a goal or resolution is not achievable and therefore attainment is missed through no fault of their own.

And this is where my no resolution / no ‘fad-january’ stems from – my mental health is as important to me as physical health. Consistently setting extra rules (even if it is well meant) adds more pressure where it is not needed. That doesn’t mean I don’t have targets and just drift aimlessly through life, I just don’t add anything unnecessary.

The ‘A’ also has another trick up its sleeve – whilst looking back, remember what you have achieved. It doesn’t need to be as grand as starting a new business, it can be as simple as keeping your family clothed, sheltered, fed and loved! Achievement itself is a motivator as well as a mental booster.

So what did I remind myself of this year? That my family is very fortunate to be healthy, safe and happy. That I am becoming a better human and have made significant changes for the good of planet Earth without real compromise. That I have learned a significant amount in a year, continue to ‘grow’ and am very fortunate to be supported in what I do. How about you?