With the year coming to a close, we being to think about our ‘new year’s resolution’ and what we hope for the coming year. A lot of these resolutions fail because they’re not the right resolutions.
Let’s look at the most effective ways to keep your resolutions! But first, ask yourself what matters to you?
We tend to see people setting only the resolutions that they ‘should’ follow, or resolutions that ‘make sense’ to where they are in life (not the ones that they want). While that’s good, it also leaves you wondering about one very important thing, who are you doing these resolutions for? If you’re not doing them for yourself then the changes of you keeping them are very slim. This means you should stop setting resolutions that everyone else is setting and instead focus on setting resolutions that truly matter to you!
At the end of the day, no one other than yourself can tell you what matters to you!
Here are some examples for you to use as nothing more than inspiration:
1. A salary range you would like to reach
Do you want to understand the upper hierarchy of wealth? Look no further than learning how to negotiate a salary raise. It is your best (and most realistic bet) of not imagining what it would be like, fantasizing about it, or even thinking about it, but actually making 2023 your peak earning year. You can also consider looking for a bigger role in a similar size, smaller or even larger business. You can even look for a smaller role in a much larger company; do what makes sense to you.
2. Is it a new career completely?
First, why not check out our blog ‘Looking to change career?…’ highlighting 4 things to consider before making the big change. With the internet today you can find the same advice when it comes to changing careers. We could go ahead and give you all that advice here, but your better served if we give you a not-so-secret when it comes to identifying your deepest passions: Your Childhood.
You heard it right, your childhood! You can never go wrong with what really speaks to you on a deep level if you reviewed what you loved doing as a child and attempted to replicate that in your adult life. Now it doesn’t have to be the exact same thing. See if you can find a common theme instead. For example, I loved art as a child, so my theme is artistic self-expression. That theme is present within marketing.
3. Or is it learning a new skill?
Invest in a new skill whether its books, online courses or even mentors. However, make sure not to fall into the trap of consuming information and content and not applying it into your life. We can all be guilty of this. You can always resort to formal education and go back to college! As they say, it’s never too late to go back to school. You might even be interested is starting your very own side hustle, or even register in a volunteering program to pick up new skills.
4. Perhaps it is expanding your network
Whatever the list, as long as it’s career (and life) related, you’ll always find a mention or two of networking. And it makes complete sense. The basis for everything else – side hustles, new skills, asking for a salary raise, finding excelling opportunities, and what have you – is your network. So don’t just be a fly on the wall. Become the centre of attention. Meet new people. Reach out to those who share the same interests as yourself. Take inventory of your existing contacts and see if there’s any way you can improve them relationship. Share your goals and ask for advice when needed. Also give advice in return. Travel, engage, live, have fun. It’s a whole world out there, people!
5. Maybe all you really need is better boundaries
(If you already have your goals set for 2023)
Having boundaries simply means getting crystal clear on your priorities and following up on them. That’s it! SO, if your first priority of the day is to work on a project but your colleagues are calling you up because there bored, you simply tell them “No thanks” and let go if any guilt that you may feel. (Note: I’m not saying to always disappoint your colleagues in favour of your own self-interest.)
So often what prevents people from keeping resolutions is not that they belong to someone else (in the sense that these resolutions are purely to gain someone else’s approval), but that they don’t prioritize them enough. If you simply decluttered your life (physically, mentally, and emotionally), you would find boatloads of time and energy to dedicate toward what matters to you.