Pets

Three Ways Goals Are Better Than Resolutions

I want to talk a little about the difference between resolutions and goals. In an ideal world, they are the same when structured correctly. However, in the real world, they are nowhere near the same. Why is that? Every year it seems like everyone, including your brother-in-law’s hamster, has a few New Years resolutions. So why are they forgotten before the end of January?

I think the key is in how we perceive, formulate and plan Resolutions vs. Goals.

  1. Perception – We perceive Resolutions and Goals differently. Because many have them and never do anything about them, the resolutions have become a joke. Nobody takes them seriously, precisely because nobody takes them seriously. It is also a vicious cycle. Resolutions seem to be nothing more than a kind of well-intentioned excuse for failure. Didn’t you exercise every day? It was just a resolution, so it doesn’t matter.
  2. Formulation – Generally we do not write our Resolutions as we do with our Goals. We say that our New Years Resolution is to lose weight. OK. That should be the starting point, not the end. How much? By when Why? There are no details or written reminders to pin down those details.
  3. Plan – Just as our formulation of our Resolutions tends to be vague, our plans are even more so! We could make a little progress at first by walking 30 minutes after dinner or going to the gym at work every morning. But without a definite plan, these are random events, even if they seem consistent at first. They are random because there is no real plan to keep making them, just a “resolution” backed up by a vague joke of an idea.

Although we tend to think of goals more seriously, although not everyone who claims to have goals takes theirs seriously. For those who say they have Goals, but don’t write them down or make plans, I have news for you. You have no goals. You have Resolutions.

We perceive that the Goals are more concrete, more serious. They are made up of more serious ideas and goals. They are usually very specific and measurable. Using the example of weight loss, if I have a goal of losing 75 pounds at a rate of 1.5 pounds per week, that’s a pretty specific goal and I know when to hit it. It is a difference of day and night with the resolutions.

That brings me to how we formulate the Goals. Most of us know how to use the SMART formula. Specific, measurable, achievable / actionable, realistic and time-bound. There is no question what we mean when we use this formula.

Finally, we plan the Goals. We plan to get up a little earlier each day and exercise a little more until we achieve the ideal time and effort to start our day. We plan what we are going to eat to be healthy. We plan what to do if something gets in the way, like falling asleep or even traveling. We plan ahead by having a training bag ready to go each morning and any number of other things.

Goals are NOT resolutions. The goals are real, concrete, credible and desirable. Resolutions are vague wishes that are not taken seriously and are not really even something we want to do. These are usually things that we think we should do, because that is what society tells us.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *