I don’t know about you but I find myself with a healthy dose of energy in the beginning of the year. Feeling optimistic about the possibilities in 2013, I am just eager to get started and certainly hoping to accomplish more than I did last year. There are big chunks in my to-do list that I have been kicking down the road for a few years now and I resolve to get started on it this year. How about you: Is there something big and significant that you were meaning to do yet have not started? What’s holding you back?
Dreaming
Whitney Johnson, author of Dare-Dream-Do: Remarkable Things Happen When You Dare to Dream , proposed that instead of making resolutions, we should dream in January. I am iffy about using “dreaming” in my materials because some people put it in the airy-fairy category. Let’s face it, a lot of people want to be grounded on solid activity planning. However, there is something inspiring and hopeful about dreaming that is irresistible and endearing.
Come February when you have indulged in your dreams, it is time to resolve to get your dream come true. It is time to ask yourself the hard question: How do I make my dream come true? Now it’s time to get down to the brass tacks:
- What new skills can I develop?
- How do I get promoted?
- How do I contribute more meaningfully?
- How do I earn greater responsibility?
- How do I move into a leadership role?
- (Write your own questions here.)
Goal Setting
I was about to make my speech on goal setting (as my career planning alter ego always does) when I encountered this article that says I should not over-prescribe goal setting. Well, I have always been conflicted with this thought because, inasmuch as I believe in career planning that include goal setting, I also have personal experiences on how serendipity have influenced major shifts in my personal career.
Let me use an old adage: plan for the best but prepare for the worst. Have some strategic goals based on your personal vision and core purpose if you have that defined, too. However, be flexible with your tactical goals. Be ready to change and tweak your objectives according to where destiny might be leading you.
Resolutions
Now let’s get back to making resolutions. I can’t seem to let January go without them. It maybe the chance to make a change, the illusion that it is a new start, or the optimistic view of the future that makes resolutions very attractive. I will make them anyway. I resolve to write more often on my blog, to update my Facebook page everyday, and to come out of my home office more often. It will be good for my business and it will improve my social skills.
So what is your resolution for 2013?
