2011 is hours away, it’s time to decide about what you want to accomplish next year. Don’t hesitate to make commitments because you have some doubts as to whether you will accomplish all you set out to do.  If you don’t try, you are ensuring failure, and your business will stagnate.

Let’s face it: most of us fail when it comes to sticking to our resolutions. Typically, the level of excitement we have to do what we have committed to fades away as the first few weeks of the year pass. What are some of the reasons this happens?

• We create TOO many resolutions at the same time.
• Our motivation and energy for the resolutions is maxed out too quickly.
• Our habits are instilled in us yet we expect them to change immediately without any or much pain. When they don’t, we’re discouraged and lose interest in following through.
• Life gets in the way and we simply forget what we committed to.
• Our resolutions are too vague. “I’m going to exercise” doesn’t have any “teeth”. There’s no plan of action, no specific steps to take or goals to work toward.

What will bring you closer to making commitments and sticking to them?

1. Write down  6 realistic goals you want to accomplish in 2011
2. Make a plan as to how you are going to integrate those goals in your life; include what steps are you going to take on a daily, weekly, monthly basis to work towards the goals.( i.e. if you want to practice your scripts daily, find a practice partner, commit to a schedule with him or her.)
3. Share your goals with as many people as possible. If the people around you know what you are trying to accomplish you should have an easier time sticking to your commitments. ( i.e. if you committed to interruption free mornings prospecting, your partner will understand that you will not receive their calls during this time unless it is an emergency.)
4. Keep reminding yourself that it takes baby steps consistently, not giant leaps occasionally, to achieve change
5. Don’t try and change everything at once. Spend the first week or two mastering  your first 2-3 goals. Habits usually take about 30 days to change, so expect a bumpy ride for at least a month and don’t get discouraged.
6. Repeat. After you find yourself following through with the first few goals, start adding the others. Even though you’ll want to go faster, don’t. Keep in mind that getting discouraged is easy, while learning discipline is extremely difficult.

Share with me some of your New Year’s Resolutions? What are steps are you going to take to achieve them? If you need some help, let me know.