Radical Rethink Blog: Being Resolute – Remaking your 2021 resolutions

11 Jan Radical Rethink Blog: Being Resolute – Remaking your 2021 resolutions

In such turbulent times it might seem that only a hopeless optimist would set their New Year resolutions with any semblance of self-belief of seeing them through.

From Veganuary to Dry January, many New Year personal pledges will already lie in tatters – often due to over-optimism. You see it in business too. Poorly designed plans ditched because sales figures couldn’t scale the heights of an unrealistically steep upward curve.

I’m not trying to dull ambition. Far from it – but the fact is most of us just aren’t resolute enough, not through lack of willpower but because we can’t precisely define the situation or problem we’re trying to resolve, let alone shape a plan to change things for the better.

It’s not that we lack the character, we just don’t commit to the task in hand with sufficient conviction.

That’s why January’s Radical Rethink will explore how to make realistic pledges, promises and resolutions that can be kept – and how to go about achieving them. As ever, the clue is in the name.

Being resolute means being determined, steadfast, purposeful, possibly on a mission and/or an action plan in mind.
In other words – we need to chart a course for the full journey.

We need to give it due thought and time to mature. What’s the hurry if we’re trying to make significant change? The festive season is a great time for reflection but rarely the perfect time for action.

So, if you didn’t come firing out of the traps in the first week of January – no worries, there is still plenty of time. Me? I’d give it all of January at least.

You could start by looking at what you are trying to re-solve – to address, devise, design and determine.

After all, you can’t plan a journey unless you ascertain your starting point and destination, let alone lay milestones along the way.

In 2021, this might be a moveable feast as we each pave our way through the disruption caused by Covid-19. Your resolutions need some flexibility.

Planning matters. Remember the carpenter’s adage – measure twice, cut once. I’ll say that again – measure twice, cut once.
Quick fixes and hit-and-hope tactics are usually doomed to fail. Best to get it right from the start.

For example, it is easy to shed those temporary excess pounds you put on over Christmas as part of an exercise and fitness plan – but how do you make inroads when weight loss becomes a longer-term commitment?

More than anything, resolutions are about being resolute. Making a deeper felt, determined, personal pledge to see it through.

There are no rights or wrongs of course. Each to their own. Personally, though, I’d keep your resolutions focused on a few key targets. Significant self-improvement is only usually achievable with a mindset manoeuvre rather than lots of random aims and intentions.

The Radical Rethink is about sharing thoughts and feelings so this isn’t about me – it is a free and frank exchange of thoughts and ideas.

Come and join us this month. The Radical Rethink webinar is on Friday, January 15 from 10am-midday online.

For further details and to book your seat, visit The Radical Rethink page.

You can also book directly via Eventbrite. 

Chris Green