What’s Going to Make 2025 Any Different for you?
I recently attended a conference where the keynote speaker asked the audience to raise their hand if they had a goal that was very important to them to accomplish. The majority of the room raised their hand. He then asked the audience to keep their hand up if they’d had this same goal a year ago and had carried it over because they’d not gotten it done. Many hands stayed raised. Finally, he asked folks to keep their hands up if they’d had the same goal for the last 3 years (or more). I was saddened, but not surprised, by the number of hands that remained raised.
In some ways, setting the goal is the easy part. We know where we want to go, we may even have a clear picture of what that destination will look and feel like. John, for example, knew that he wanted to spend more time with his kids while they were growing up. Every year, he promised his family that this would be the year that he made it home for family dinners, attended important school/sports events, and took an uninterrupted vacation. The final straw came for him when his youngest said to him, “Daddy, it’s not good to make promises you don’t keep.” Ouch!
It wasn’t that this wasn’t an important goal for him. He loved his family. He wanted to spend time with them. It wasn’t a will issue — he wanted to accomplish this goal. It was a skill issue — there were underlying beliefs and behaviors that were getting in his way. These beliefs and behaviors were so deeply embedded that he didn’t even see them. And, without identifying and addressing these beliefs and behaviors, no amount of willpower was going to see him making this change, at least not in a sustainable way. He might have been able to make it work for a bit, but sooner or later, he’d revert to his old routines. Sound familiar?
Do you have a goal that is important to you, and yet you can’t seem to make traction on it no matter what you do? Have you been stuck on the blame and shame merry-go-round where every failed attempt seems to parade itself in front of you each time you try and make a go of it? Don’t lose hope! This is where engaging someone — whether it be a coach or a mentor — who can help you identify the beliefs or behaviors that are preventing you from making progress and work with you to reframe the belief or address the behavior. It sounds simple, but it takes consistent effort to change ingrained ways of thinking and being. This is why working with an expert who can guide, support, and hold you accountable, can be the difference between success and frustration.
Will this be the year that you finally achieve your goal?
