As we approach the end of 2020, many of us are inclined to say, “Good riddance!”
Those sentiments surely also include a hope for better things in 2021. That said, hopes and dreams too often take little form in reality if we don’t transform them into action.
December of a waning year, and January of a new year, are traditional times when many make resolutions regarding what to accomplish in the coming 12 months. Some use December as a time for one last blowout, the lapse before going “cold turkey” on doing the hard work of fulfilling a resolution.
For most, this is a prescription for failure. It generally sets the stage for an early exit from pursuing a major goal. Even those who firmly commit to paying the price required to keep their resolutions often lack staying power, and this is not only in individuals, but in teams and businesses. Why is this outcome so prevalent?
I believe there is one major cause: Resolutions are often set in a cavalier manner. For example, one might resolve to lose weight, setting a goal to lose 50 pounds. Assuming they are what the medical community calls “morbidly obese,” this goal is very appropriate. However, is it sufficiently motivating to keep this person engaged in the hard work of diet and exercise that will get them there?
Well, I guess it’s time for true confessions. I was that person a few years ago. I knew I was overweight, but I had dismissed it for years. I looked in the mirror and I thought the bulge over my belt didn’t look too bad and I could still hike miles in the hills near my home without any trouble. Plus, my workload was just too heavy to take time to eat right and exercise. I would get to it later, I thought. So, although I resolved every year to make the changes that would peel off the pounds, I routinely let my resolve fade away.
Well, as I sit here writing this article, I can tell you that I am more than 50 pounds lighter than I was two years ago.
What changed? How did I finally achieve my goal?
The answer is that I found a compelling motivation. About six years ago, I was feeling really crappy. My form of self-medication when I don’t feel well is to take a long hike, breathe deep and rejuvenate. So, I threw on my backpack and headed into the backcountry of Zion National Park — and I nearly died. I didn’t understand what was happening at the time, but my blood sugar spiked and then crashed. I was very nearly in a coma when I finally got some sugar. (Thank you, Gatorade!)
A trip to my doctor followed and I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. Daily insulin injections were prescribed, and I was told that I would never beat this disease. I could eat more wisely and exercise, but insulin was my new best friend.
It was at this point that my motivation changed. Weight loss was no longer the goal; it was a byproduct. My resolution transformed to beat diabetes, to toss out the insulin. However, even these resolutions were insufficient motivators.
My real purpose was, and is, to live a long healthy life, to be here on this Earth with my wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. I want to be a vital, engaged human being for as long as possible. And diabetes and my 50 pounds of unhealthy girth were getting in the way.
At this point, my resolution transformed into a vision of a healthier, fit, diabetes-free Rich Tyson. That led to research on how I might make this happen. My business partner (who doesn’t have diabetes) joined me in this quest. He discovered a book by Dr. Jason Fung, The Diabetes Code, that provided a roadmap to losing weight, kicking diabetes to the curb and restoring my fitness to a level of men 20 years younger than myself. My doctor, who had assured me that I would never be able to overcome diabetes, was stunned to see my results.
So, where did the discipline I needed come from? It came from having a vision of myself that was compelling.
This is worth putting into capital letters: A COMPELLING VISION IS THE FOUNDATION OF SUCCESS! And that is as true for businesses as it is for individuals.
My message here today is to use some of your holiday downtime to decide on the core purpose and vision for your business and your life. We’re coming off a very tough 2020, but if we are to make 2021 a better year, we need to become visionary resolvers.
Richard Tyson is the founder, principal owner and president of CEObuilder, which provides forums for consulting and coaching to executives in small businesses.