Starting 2011 With a New Attitude!

Creating Goals for the New Year!

With every new year, new goals are created.  Weight loss, Working smarter, Changing jobs, Redefining your job.  Whatever the change is, there are critical decisions that must be made.  Let’s use a real life example as we talk about these changes.  Let’s say that you want to change your attitude, to be more positive with the people you work with.

• What needs to change?
• More of something in our example, the more might be positive words of encouragement; a can do attitude about a project that might be difficult.
• Less of something in our example, being less critical and being more empathetic; less pessimism with new jobs that need to be done.
• New priorities in our example, starting every day with reminders to yourself that you are going to be more positive; calendar items on your email to ensure that you remind yourself of people who are working on new projects, or difficult projects

What needs to Change?
Human nature makes people want to change others, or their environment.  You need to look at your self first and only.  The only change that you can control is the one in YOU!  Don’t worry about others.  Don’t worry about what they are not doing, or what they are doing that impacts you.  You have the ability through your actions to make positive changes in everyone around you. If you don’t believe it, try it for one day, and if you are making the right changes people will start to ask you what is going on.

• In our example, let’s assume that because we have been so negative with our team, that the moment we start complimenting in public and reprimanding in private, people will notice the difference.  If the change is not big enough, make it bigger.  Your change must make people notice.

What can you stop doing?
Stopping is harder than it sounds.  People engage in “bad” behavior because it comes natural or it worked once so they keep doing it.  Eventually it becomes a habit and before you know it, that is who you are.  Like mentioned earlier, this one is very hard to do.  Try it now, stop and try to write down the bad habits you have?  How many did you come up with?  Now, ask your best friend to tell you all the things that they think are your bad habits.  Your lists should look similar, but if they are being honest, their list will be longer than yours for sure.

What do you need to start doing?
Now the last one is the best one and the most meaningful.  As we make critical/important changes in our lives, there are adjustments in our routines that must be made.  You might need to get up earlier, you might need to work longer hours (initially, but not for longer than 30 days), you might need to join new work groups or community groups.  Whatever the change is, there is going to be a little “pain” involved.  You know the old adage, 21 days to make a habit.  You will need to commit to 21 days of change.  21 days of holding yourself accountable.  21 days of reviewing each day to determine if your goal (s) were accomplished.

Accountability
As we make changes in our lives, it is important to tell 2-3 people that you trust to know your plan.  It will be important that you give these people permission to stop you when they see you not making the change that you want.  They must be able to correct you without you reacting negatively.  Thank them and then immediately sit down to analyze what happened and why you responded the way you did.  This way, you will be conscious of what environment you were in the “derailed” you.