Did you make a resolution this year, or even just a decision about your career? Right about this week, we can start to feel less focused on those goals. But don’t let them slip away!
The ritual of promising yourself change at a specific time is important, whether it’s a new year, a birthday, or a key anniversary. The temporal nature of the goa-setting is motivating and easier to follow through on.
To stay on track, start by thinking about what motivated you to make your promise to yourself. If your resolutions were born out of your regrets, they’ll be harder to keep because regret really only motivates us in the short term. Similarly, vague promises or huge goals are not exciting, and are harder to keep. Sure, it’s easy to imagine yourself in a fuzzy perfect future, but without manageable goals and a detailed idea of what you’re striving for, things can just stay in the realm of fantasy.
To make things really happen, try focusing on the discrepancy of your current state and where you want to wind up. Be sure to be specific and get clear on how you will measure your progress, and break the plan down into a series of smaller, accomplishable steps. If you want a new job, for instance, you will need to identify what you want (or where), update your application materials, activate your network, submit your application, and practice interviewing. When you look at that whole long list of things, it can be overwhelming and demoralizing. So start with something small and concrete. What’s a single new thing you want from a new job? How will you know that that’s offered there? Then build slowly, keeping track of your progress.
Finally, to maintain your motivation, remember that you’ve made this promise to yourself. Chances are that you’re better at keeping your promises to others than the ones to you, but you’re as worthy of these oaths as your loved ones are.
It’s possible to keep those resolutions if you make them well and thoughtfully.
