Leslie Charles’s Blog

Lose weight. Quit smoking. Get back in shape. Eat less. Read more. Save money. Manage time better. Be a better spouse, parent, family member, friend, worker, and so on. Any of these look familiar? Maybe they’ve been on your resolution list, maybe more than once.

The word resolution is defined as “a firm decision to do or not do something.” You know the drill: make a list, check it twice, stand back and hope for a miracle. Try to transform, mess up, try again, try harder, give up. That’s pretty much how it goes for many of us. Others long ago gave up on the idea entirely.

So if you have a list of resolutions are they realistic? When you look at your list do you feel a wave of deja vu all over again? How many of these items were on last year’s list, and maybe the year before, or the year before that? For how long did you stick to your resolutions last year, and if the honeymoon was brief, what makes you think you’ll be successful this time around?

Sorry to rain on your parade, but maybe it’s time to try another tack. I just happen to have one. This approach is simple, practical, and effective. Instead of hoping for that mythical massive makeover, all you have to do is get focused.

Here’s what I mean. Pick one self-development behavior you know would enrich your life. Work on it for the entire year of 2010 and you’ll end up with a newly ingrained habit that will stay with you.

That’s it. That’s all you have to do. Of course, there will be the usual trial and error, attempt and failure, but here’s good news. There’s always tomorrow. Give yourself a year of “do overs” and you’ve internalized a new habit—for good! It’s ten times more effective than the traditional way.

I began this remarkable practice in 1997. It’s my 365-Day Personal Project. As a result of this focused approach, I am more patient, less stressed, more inclined to use my sense of humor in pressure situations, and far more self-aware.

Here was my indelible insight about this simple but life-altering practice: for once, time is on your side. Interested? You can read more details here. It’s the best seasonal advice I could give you.

Simple Action: Rather than frustrating yourself with sweeping changes, pick one self-development behavior you’d like to work on. Get started. Don’t stop. You’ll be glad you did.