The Problem with New Year's Resolutions

Happy Holidays!  The holiday season is the time when our thoughts turn toward the coming year. Whether through simple New Year's resolutions or detailed goal-setting, many people look at January 1st as a fresh beginning on a journey to something better in 2026.

If this is you, that is great! I do it, too. I make personal and professional goals all the time. As a professional coach, I want you to succeed in reaching your 2026 goals. 

Here is what I have learned the hard way.  Often, the problem with our resolutions and goals is we make goals in some areas of our lives yet not in others. We try to get better in one area or two areas, but we fail to make adjustments in other areas.  

To get to the better place that you desire, all areas of your life should be addressed in annual goal-setting. We need a holistic approach that includes all that we are and all that we do as humans. Setting impactful goals in one area may require adjustments and goals in other areas, so we must plan for those adjustments in order to be successful.

For your Better Place Journey, consider setting one goal for 2026 in each of these areas.

PHYSICAL - nutrition, exercise, self- care

SPIRITUAL - self-regard, core values and beliefs, reflection, religious / charitable activities

MENTAL - mindfulness, learning, activity

EMOTIONAL - self-awareness, emotional intelligence, resilience

SOCIAL - family relationships, friends and colleagues, societal connection

PROFESSIONAL - work engagement, career advancement, future calling, work-life balance

FINANCIAL - budgeting, savings and investment, debt reduction, giving

ORGANIZATIONAL - time management, stuff management, communication / social media

Personal example: like many others, I set a goal to lose weight. How will I do that? Well, I will eat less and eat healthier. I will exercise. I will weigh each week to measure progress.

Awesome!  This is a great Physical goal that is destined to fall apart IF:

* I do not plan time for physical activity (Organizational),

* I do not educate myself on weight loss and healthy diet (Mental),

* I do not address emotional triggers that cause me to overeat or be lazy (Emotional),

* I do not have the support of family members (Social),

* I do not calculate the costs of eating healthier or purchasing a gym membership or new walking shoes (Financial),

* I do not blend the new regimen into my day-to-day at work (Professional), and/or

* I do not come to grips with the lack of self-regard that drains my confidence for reaching my goal (Spiritual). 

Been there. Done that.  

In fact, the very first step in starting an impactful, productive, and exciting 2026 Better Place Journey is looking honestly and deeply at where you are today.  Ask yourself: how did I end up here? What is the current state in each of the eight areas, good or bad, and why?  

A corporate culture change initiative must start with an open, honest, and transparent assessment of the current culture, warts and all. What do we like, not like, what is missing, etc.?  All of the SMART goals in the world are worthless if not grounded in the full reality of right now.

This same principle for organizational cultures applies to changing your Personal Culture.  Now is the time to be brutally truthful with yourself so that you may address constructively every area of your life. Then you can dream and create a realistic, holistic master plan for YOU that you can start confidently in 2026.

Go for it!  Remember: when you reach your better place, the world becomes a better place.