Statistics show that by this time of year 30% of all New Years Resolutions have failed. By the end of January, 60% of resolutions have failed and by the end of the year, 90% of well meaning people will be complete failures.
I’d like to say this is the reason I have not made a New Year resolution for 2011/2012 - so that I am not setting myself up for failure. But I can’t. To be honest I have never made a resolution and I'm not about to start.
I’d like to say this is the reason I have not made a New Year resolution for 2011/2012 - so that I am not setting myself up for failure. But I can’t. To be honest I have never made a resolution and I'm not about to start.
This New year however, I am fortunate enough to have an open book filled with blank pages: read “opportunities galore”!
Instead of writing down a list of tasks or personal promises, I spent the days around the turn of the year reflecting on my last decade, the good, the bad and the God awful truth.
The Good
- My personal development in my career was astonishing.
- I travelled to parts of the world I would ordinarily have avoided (or not known about).
- I met amazing people that I now consider life long friends.
- I developed skills in areas that will see me through until I decide to retire. If I retire.
- I appreciated deadlines and budget.
- I got to know what hard work was all about.
- I became a team player.
- I learnt to juggle a stressful job with a family.
- I learnt how to be calm in the face of a crisis.
- I learnt how to influence people. (entry level to C Level)
- I learnt about leadership. Good leadership and styles of leadership to avoid.
- I learnt a lot about myself, my strengths and weaknesses. (not that many!)
- I learnt how strong I am.
The Bad (I'm undecided if this really is bad)
- I saw a side to large organisations I thought only existed in Hollywood movies.
- I realised I was completely naive.
- I met people that taught me tolerance. (we’ll put that back up there with the good).
The down right ugly/facing the truth
- I allowed myself to be dependant on an organisation/role/paypacket.
- I thought I was indispensable.
So my new year may not have been a time of making promises to myself that I probably would not have kept, but rather a time of reflection with goal setting on what I need to do to improve for my next role.
My book is slowing being filled, and I am looking forward to filling up the rest of it.
- I learnt about leadership. Good leadership and styles of leadership to avoid.
- I learnt a lot about myself, my strengths and weaknesses. (not that many!)
- I learnt how strong I am.
The Bad (I'm undecided if this really is bad)
- I saw a side to large organisations I thought only existed in Hollywood movies.
- I realised I was completely naive.
- I met people that taught me tolerance. (we’ll put that back up there with the good).
The down right ugly/facing the truth
- I allowed myself to be dependant on an organisation/role/paypacket.
- I thought I was indispensable.
So my new year may not have been a time of making promises to myself that I probably would not have kept, but rather a time of reflection with goal setting on what I need to do to improve for my next role.
My book is slowing being filled, and I am looking forward to filling up the rest of it.
