Most of us make new year resolutions. Some make mental notes, while others write it down on a planner or personal journal. Few gritty individuals actually achieve pre-defined goals and its positive affirmation lays a solid foundation for the coming years. No target is too big or small. Breaking down goals into smaller clusters helps in following a step-by-step approach. The vantage point makes all the difference and a quarterly / half-yearly / annual introspection is highly recommended.
Survival of the Fittest
The year 2020 has been an unprecedented year in more ways than one. Unfortunately, none of us had a template or formula to overcome the disruption COVID-19 caused in almost everyone’s life. People stopped keeping track of most resolutions and the survival instinct of taking one day at time took precedence. Essential workers had too much on their plate, whereas a sizeable chunk of the workforce was politely asked to put in their papers.
There has been a tectonic shift in the economic landscape. Travel and hospitality sector have been impacted the most and people are already talking about revenge travel once they get the vaccine shots. Reaching pre-COVID-19 levels will take some time and if all goes well, the second half of 2021 shall turn out to be a positive inflection point.
Cut-throat competition in the market, along with sparsely funded and highly leveraged capital structure meant that companies did not have deep pockets or an appropriate war chest for the early part of pandemic. Initially, companies tried to do the firefighting by cutting costs, but not being able to generate enough revenue for two successive quarters brought down the curtain on operations. Freelancers, gig workers, consultants and other non-governmental workers had to innovate for maintaining relevance. Bootstrapping got redefined, while personal ingenuity came in handy.
So Near and Yet So Far
It is an open secret that our personal and professional lives complement each other. The barrier of emotional and psychological resilience was put to test and survival became a highly cherished virtue. Negative news was being reported, shared and created in abundance. Immunization for COVID-19 has begun in few countries, but India will achieve herd immunity by 2022. There is a long way to go and having small, yet significant goals, will keep us positively occupied.
Rephrase the Resolution in a Positive Tone
Wording the resolution by setting a goal to achieve something positive, rather than avoiding something negative is likely to bring better results. Researchers of the study from Stockholm University say their results show forming a new good habit can help people quit an old bad one by replacing it. “What surprised us were the results on how to phrase your resolution,” said lead study author Per Carlbring, a professor of psychology at Stockholm University, in a news release.
“In many cases, rephrasing your resolution could definitely work,” Carlbring said in the statement. “For example, if your goal is to stop eating sweets in order to lose weight, you will most likely be more successful if you say, ‘I will eat fruit several times a day’ instead.” He added: ‘You cannot erase a behaviour, but you can replace it with something else.’
It is never a good idea to tell an adult what to do and what not to do. Everyone knows what is beneficial and what is harmful. Writing an idea or thought on paper or mobile device doesn’t mean that a person lacks will power or resolve, but it means that the idea or action has significance.
Share and Care
“Some research shows that telling others your goal makes you feel like you’ve already achieved it,” says Dr. Mehmet Oz. But other studies indicate that sharing progress can help you keep going, he adds. Dr. Oz’s advice: Confide in one friend, “then share achievements with others when you’re on the road to success.”