Happy 2013! Stop Planning, Start Doing

January 1, 2013 — 2013, ambition, Failure, Future, Goal, goals, Health, holiday, life, New Year, new year resolutions, S.M.A.R.T.

It’s 2013! How crazy is that?

When you think about it, what makes today any different from yesterday? Many started making plans towards their new year resolutions already. Clichè.

I don’t believe in making new year resolutions; it’s all psychological. What I couldn’t accomplish in 2012 has nothing to do with 2012, but everything to do with my determination to achieve and execute on my goals, both short and long term. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing wrong in setting resolutions. The issue is that people get so hyped over them for a month or so, then all the excitement over the resolution dies down after the new year high diminishes and life is back to normal.

Instead of new year resolutions, I’ve been making long and short term S.M.A.R.T goals (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-specific), which has reduced my frustration in failure or lack of progress. One goal could be achieved in a month, another goal in one or two years.

The real issue I have with new year resolutions is that people tend to have lofty goals for the “future.” They then end up making the act of planning their primary execution of that goal, rather than actually executing on the goal. Also, there is no specific timing associated to the goal, just a vague “in the future I’m going to…” That future remains “the future” for a long time because the gratification of that goal now comes in form of planning and dreaming, not executing.

We plan on end due to fear of failure. Planning is safe; our ego is not involved. Action requires vulnerability and the acceptance that there is a possibility of failing. I’ve come to embrace my failures. Failure to many is a setback, but in reality failure occurs to teach us to do better next time. We have to fail to get better.

A new year brings hope and re-energizes our motivation, don’t let that high die. Every new day is the “future.” Stop planning, and get to it!

❤