Are you one of the 45% of Americans who made a New Year’s Resolution? Perhaps you resolved to be more health-conscious in 2018, or focus on another aspect of self-improvement. When it comes to business, chances are you’ve started to execute your new annual business plan or are setting objectives for the upcoming quarter. No doubt you’ve resolved to make this the best year ever for business and there are many strategies to drive for results.
Laying out a year’s worth of business objectives as New Year’s resolutions is helpful and putting them into action takes serious effort. A drive for results in business takes an extra level of commitment that requires clarity and focus for successful execution. There are five things to keep in mind in resolving to drive for results:
- Craft Your Resolutions Carefully – Know what your objectives are for the year, but create monthly and quarterly benchmarks for your goals. Write them down and refer to them at the beginning of each month and quarter to help you keep your resolve. If you lead a team, communicate your goals clearly and make sure there is clarity of roles.
- Plan Out Your Resolutions – As you prepare your upcoming year’s business plan, make sure that your agenda is filled with achievable action items. Don’t consider your plan “set in stone,” but make it a living document that you can change to adapt to setbacks or unforeseen obstacles. Pivoting doesn’t mean failure, it’s a way to ensure success over the long run.
- See a Successful 2018 – Visualize December 31, 2018 and how you’ll feel when you look back at a year of achievement. Imagine what you’ll say to your colleagues and customers as you thank them for their contributions to your success. Saying it out loud is a strategy that may help you push past any fears that might prevent you from working towards your goals.
- Resolve for 365 Days of Determination – Create and manage achievable daily to-do lists, with an eye towards being able to check off as many action items as possible. That way you’ll stay on track to keeping your new year’s resolution to drive for results. Be observant of to-do items that never get done – do they really merit a spot on your list?
- Learning to Keep Resolutions – Is there a new skill you need to achieve your goals? Identify what you want to learn and make a plan to expand your knowledge by signing up for courses or finding partners with whom you can collaborate to obtain additional skills for success.
- Resolution Resiliency – Consider change as a constant in your business and always be ready to adapt to new circumstances. Being resilient means having a perspective of agility in seeking solutions, possibilities and potential, no matter what life and business bring in 2018. Agility without intent to take action is simply changing your mind, and does not move you closer to achieving your goals.
As 2018 gets off to a successful start, there are three simple steps to staying determined to keep your new year’s resolutions. Get mentally ready for “the grind,” get set to put in the time you need to succeed and consistent effort to GO for a year of driving for results!
