Let’s talk about January 12th. The media calls it “Quitters Day” because this is when most people throw their New Year’s resolutions in the trash. Pretty sad, right? 80% of resolution-makers fail, and only 8% actually cross the finish line. (What happens to the other 12%? They’re probably still wandering around the gym looking for the smoothie bar.)
Here’s the thing: New Year’s resolutions are garbage. You know it, I know it, and that champagne-soaked version of you making promises between Christmas and New Year’s definitely knew it. Making life changes while you’re half-buzzed on bubbly and holiday cookies isn’t exactly a recipe for success.
But I’m not here to just mock the quitters – I want you to win. So let’s ditch the resolution nonsense and do something that actually works.
Grab a piece of paper. Right now. I’ll wait.
Got it? Good. Write these three headers:
- Work/Business
- Financial
- Personal
Now here’s where things get real. Instead of making vague promises about “being better,” write down specific goals under each category. Want a promotion? Write it down. Need to save $10,000? Put it on paper. Want to be a better parent? Get specific about how.
But here’s the secret sauce: Don’t treat these like fluffy New Year’s wishes. Treat them like contracts. Because if you hired someone to fix your roof and they bailed halfway through, you’d be furious. So why do you let yourself off the hook so easily?
“But that sounds overwhelming!” Yeah, I hear you. That’s why we’re going to do some basic math. There are roughly 50 useful weeks in a year. That means each week represents just 2% of your annual progress. Two percent. That’s it. You’re telling me you can’t improve by 2% this week? Come on.
And please, for the love of all things sacred, be realistic. You’re probably not going to run a marathon, lose 100 pounds, start a billion-dollar company, AND learn three languages by December. Pick goals that stretch you but don’t break you.
Here’s my final piece of inspiration: Stop telling everyone about your goals unless you’re ready to be held accountable. I don’t care that you “only smoke when you drink” or that you’re “really going to start that diet on Monday.” Either do it or don’t, but spare us the commentary unless you’re talking to someone who will hold your feet to the fire.
Want to know if you’re serious? Take those goals you just wrote down and hang them somewhere you’ll see them every single day. Make them unavoidable. Sign them like a contract. Because that’s what they are – a contract with yourself.
The question isn’t whether you can do it. The question is: Are you a person of your word? Do the people in your life have any reason to see you as a person of integrity? That’s another thing about shooting your mouth off on what you’re going to do and then quitting. You condition people around you to take you about as seriously as a clown. Condition your friends, peers, and family members to take you as a person of integrity that they can trust. Be a person others can count on. Give them reason to believe in you. You need to follow through with what you say you’re going to do because your self worth and the quality of your relationships with others depend on it.
By January 12th, most people are choosing to be quitters. What are you choosing to be?