Chuck the whole new year's resolution list-making setup—it's worthless.
Avoid the burnout, failure, and disappointment of setting (and missing) new year resolutions or goals by focusing only on ONE THING.
Before you write me off as an underachiever, let's face facts: how many people actually meet or keep their new year's resolutions? 8%. EIGHT. PERCENT. Additionally, 80% will fail within TWO WEEKS. (See link to study below.)
Forbes recommended making goals instead of resolutions—but the differences between the two are lost on me. Another expert suggests making benchmarks to hit along the way, which is a fancy way of saying "smaller goals within a larger goal" and tends to work well in business and perhaps for some (maybe those 8%?).
On the other hand, if you don't set a goal, the chances of hitting the goal is zilch.
Instead of making resolutions or a slew of goals/mini-goals or benchmarks, I advocate focusing on ONE THING. If you're one of those 8% then feel free to make a list, but for the rest of us, I'll follow King David's example:
"One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple." - Psalm 27:4
So, instead of a list, select a single goal or mission or "word of the year" and focus your prayer life, reading and meditations on this mission. Set boundaries to protect it's development (e.g. if it doesn't apply to the mission focus, table it) in you and all the areas of your life. Make it a Family Value (and if you haven't set your personal values and family values, read my blog on this topic here).
Also, if you're like me and love beautiful things, invest in art work that will inspire you, such as a calligrapher like this one: https://m.facebook.com/lettermeyours/. Search Etsy for "word of the year art" and select from the myriad of options ranging from wood to hand-painted art to jewelry.
How to select a word of the year for 2020:
Prepare your mind with a brain dump and your heart with a fast
Hear from God (imperative, since it will be His Spirit that enables you)
Confirm and share it with others (which starts to hold you accountable)
Journal it to take a "mindful" approach to staying focused
Get started right away
Find an accountability partner or share it with your life coach
Grace prepares with a dose of realism.
----
Comments