So a new year dawns and we all make the pledge to make it better than the previous one, to avoid making the mistakes we made, to go on that diet or join a gym so we don’t put on more weight like last year, to not neglect our CPD.

If you read the previous paragraph again, you’ll notice a common theme running through it – it’s all about avoidance, or moving ‘away from’ what we did before. All the best intentions are there, but notice how the focus is on not doing something – making the same mistakes, putting on more weight, neglecting our CPD.

This where people can often fail in achieving their goals –they are more focussed on avoiding something they don’t want to happen, than on what it is they do want to happen! Of course, we do need to have clear and specific goals in place, but the right focus acts as the enabler to these (make sure your goals are SMART goals!).

To be successful in achieving those New Year resolutions, start by shifting your focus towards what you do want to achieve, not on what you want to avoid. Re-focussing from ‘away from’ to ‘towards’ changes the opening paragraph examples radically:

                       Away from                                                         Towards

                       Avoid making the same mistakes                            Successful project delivery

                       Diet or join gym                                                   Feel and look fit

                       Neglecting CPD                                                   Increased knowledge or skills

Notice how just by shifting focus, our goals become clearer, more outcome-oriented?

Now let’s do some critical reflection of these goals, and ask ourselves what deeper outcomes or benefits could they provide – for instance:

                      Goal                                                                     Deeper outcome / benefit

                      Avoid making the same mistakes                             Intrinsic satisfaction, peace-of-mind

                      Diet or join gym                                                    Long-term health and wellbeing

                      Enrol on course                                                    Career progression or alternate skill-set

Notice how the original outcomes have now gained much more depth and substance? Not only will this simple exercise often produce extra benefits you may have missed, but the additional benefits also act as great motivators – all of a sudden there’s more at stake!

So, to ensure greater success and consistency in goal outcomes this year:

1. Quickly jot down your New Year goals.

2. Now look again, but think ‘towards’, not ‘away from’ – revise goals accordingly.

3. Critically reflect on the revised goals to consider deeper benefits.

4. Take action!

Print-out your goals and stick them on your fridge or office wall, turn them into a screen-saver, or record them as an MP3 and listen to them on the commute to work every day.

“Goals that are not in writing are not goals at all. They are merely wishes or fantasies.” Brian Tracey

Have a great New Year!