New Year, New Goals

As 2017 comes to a close and 2018 rolls in with new expectations and opportunities, many people mark the start of the new year by setting personal and professional goals. Some people set health-related or physical challenges, like losing weight or running a marathon. Others set out to spend more time with friends and family, reduce time on social media, or dedicate additional time to giving back to their communities.  Unfortunately, a recent survey indicated that only 9% of people actually achieve their New Year’s resolutions.  In many cases, this is because they did not set realistic goals and expectations.  Even though it is routine to set milestones for business goals, quarterly checkpoints and often measure for success along the way, we do not adopt the same practice for our own personal goals.

For me, 2017 proved to be a banner year for goals and resolutions.  No, I did not hit my goal weight or ideal bank figure, but my 2017 New Year’s resolutions included pursuing a doctorate degree, an equally daunting and lofty goal for sure.  Where I found success in this endeavor was through the practice of setting personal milestones along the way in support of my larger objectives, something I once heard a Fortune 500 CEO say that he routinely practiced and evaluated his progress every weekend.  Although I did not adopt the same strict regimen, the academic rigor and community of ISM provided the ultimate form of accountability.

For instance, my first mile markers towards achieving my doctorate included completing my application and interviews.  Next, it became selecting and attending courses online, in New York, and Paris to expand my professional knowledge. Then, it became forging friendships through a network of classmates from across the globe as part of the ISM community.  Through each of these phases, I adopted a process of setting and marking small goals in support of my larger objectives. These little wins helped me to celebrate small successes and build momentum to maintain focus.

Despite the amount of time I still have to go in the program, the intention is to get into the practice of setting and marking milestones, despite the pressures that work and personal obligations can impose.  By practicing this discipline now, the objective is to ensure the practice becomes routine in the years that follow as I begin to write my dissertation. For 2018, I would encourage you to consider setting professional and personal milestones in this same manner and utilizing ISM as a key vehicle to achieving your New Year’s resolutions. Salut!

1. New Years Resolution Statistics.  https://www.statisticbrain.com/new-years-resolution-statistics/