How will you define yourself in 2015? How will you measure your success?
Many people make resolutions every New Year; some keep them for a while, but many fizzle out because other priorities take over. Resolutions are often limited to a certain sphere of your life, they solve a specific issue, but I believe that there is a better way…
There is an alternative to making ten different resolutions. Look at all the areas in your life that you would like to change. Look at the sort of life that you would like to lead. Analyse how you can improve your personal and professional relationships. Consider what you need to do to get you where you would like to be in a year’s time.
Then comes the hard bit….
You need to think of one word that summarises all these activities and goals. A little like Frodo’s “ring of power” in Tolkien’s Lord Of The Rings, it should be a “word of power”, omnipresent in your life, wherever you go and whatever you do.
It could be an adjective, adverb or noun. It doesn’t really matter as long as it resonates with you. As long as your friends and colleagues say “oh yes, that’s clever, it is a good fit for you. What do you think mine should be?” If the word is chosen carefully, it has the potential to enrich your life in a way 10 resolutions could never do.
Would you like to know mine? Well, I am happy to share, here and now, that my word is “activity.”
We are happiest as humans when we are moving towards a given destination. Our minds develop when they are being stretched. As long as the activity is directed in the right way, for me it has to be a positive.
As Calvin Coolidge said: “All growth depends on activity. There is no development physically or intellectually without effort and effort means work.”
Our modern world is filled with opportunities for laziness – internet grocery shopping, take away food, “social” networking, virtual meetings…. The list is a long one and getting longer every day. You could say that these innovations free time for more fulfilling interactions with colleagues, family and friends, but for me, keeping active is about making this effort in every sphere of life.
I love popping across town to meet my clients, even if the traffic is terrible. I place great value in meeting candidates rather than conducting an anonymous phone interview. I will aim to be more active in my dealings with my great team at work, to be more “present” at home and to pursue my self-development with renewed vigor.
Activity feels good. It gives you a sense of achievement. It is a concept that makes me excited because any activity has the potential for amazing results.
So, 2015 will be my year of “activity.” For those of you reading this who know me, please hold me accountable. Don’t let my standards slip.
Would it be useful for you to think about what your “word” might be?