New Year's Resolution, Goal Setting Or Dream Building: Call It What You Like As Long As You Are Clear About It

The other day a girlfriend asked me what my New Year’s resolutions were. I answered “to live with more joy and to continue to develop as a coach.” Then she said, “I think you need to get more specific.” LOL! Who’s the coach now?

When dream building, goal setting or making New Year’s resolutions, if you’re not clear on what you really, really want it’s like going on a road trip, somewhere unknown, without a map/GPS. How can you find your destination if you don’t know where it is or which highway to take? Skeptics say “I’ll know when I get there.” It’s possible, but there’s a way to get there faster, with less fender benders and fewer rest stops.

Knowing where you are mentally and emotionally is also helpful. If you’re not at the right starting point or stage of change and don’t do a map check en route, you’ll drive in circles and run out of gas.

The Stages of Change , created by James O. Proschaska explains the likelihood of success in achieving a proposed behaviour change.

Paraphrased Stages of Change:
. Pre-contemplation - No acknowledgment of situation.
. Contemplation – Acknowledging, not ready/sure about moving forward.
. Preparation/Determination - Getting ready.
. Action/Willpower - Changing behaviour.
. Maintenance - Maintaining the change, goal or dream.
. Termination – Change is complete.

(Find out how to work with the 6 stages in Changing for Good, James O. Proschaska, John Norcross and Carlo DiClemente)

Few succeed at major change alone, which is why, once you’ve reached preparation, action, and maintenance make sure you have support and accountability. Friends, family, loved ones or dare I say it, a coach, provide these critical elements.

Consider your 2009 resolutions carefully. You can get anywhere you want to as long as you know where you are headed, are excited about the journey and have someone riding shotgun.