2008... and a Half

* Note: this article won't be relevant for every reader. For those of you who have followed through on your New Year's resolutions and done amazing things, you may want to check back in tomorrow. For some of you it will be a timely poke in the ribs, for others it will be reality check and for many it will be an opportunity to stop, step back and take stock of where you are at in relation to where you planned to be at this stage of the year.

Q. So guess what today is?
A. It's the last day of the first half of the year.

Yep, we're officially half way through 2008.

Shit!

If you're like many people, then exactly six months ago you were all pumped about the new year that lay ahead of you and all the amazing things you were about to do, create and achieve in your soon-to-be-very-different life. Yep... 2008; the year of change. Re-invention. Resolution. Revolution. The new you.

Apparently.

Your reality was about to take an incredible turn for the better; different habits, different mindset, different behaviours, different relationships and of course, different outcomes. You were excited and expectant about all the amazing things that were about to happen in your world because apparently January 1 is the day that we all become incredibly different.

You would have done it earlier but as we all know New Year's Day is a much better day to change your life than say... December 16. And as for November 22, you wouldn't even consider that. Not only is November 22 a stupid date to change but last year it fell on a Thursday... and we all understand that nobody changes their life by starting something on a Thursday. Monday is the official start day for change. That's the rule.

Ask anybody.

Sure, you had made similar resolutions before but this time it was gonna be different. You said so.

No, really.

So like the multitudes of would-be-life-transformers, you waited for the life-changing day to arrive; January 1, 2008.

The official change day.

And like every other year, New Year's day came and went. And for a little while you were different. Well, actually you were the same. You acted different(ly) for a few weeks (days perhaps) but inside you hadn't really changed at all. Your behaviour was temporarily different but you were the same. You went through the motions as you've done many times before (simulated transformation) and then just like you always do, you found a reason to stop. Again. A very legitimate-sounding reason of course. You're good at that. As soon as the excitement and emotion of the new year died down, so too did your new-found mindset and behaviours.

So here we are, half way through another year and for some of us it's time to suck it up and ask ourselves a few honest questions. Here's are a few I've asked myself over the years and the answers I came up with.

Q. What have I learned about creating genuine (forever) change since January 1?

A. Creating positive change in my life has nothing to do with a date on a calendar and everything to do with me. My attitude, my determination, my honesty, my self-assessment, my discipline, my ability to deal with adversity and discomfort and my preparedness to do what needs to be done day in, day out. Even on Thursdays. Even when I'm tired. Even when it ain't fun. Even when it's not easy. Or convenient.

Q. What have I learned about New Year's resolutions?

A. For the majority, they don't lead to long-term behavioural change. They don't work.

Q. What has stopped me from achieving what I set out to at the start of the year?

A. Me.

Q. What else have I learned?

A. I can't rely on motivation to get me there; it's a temporary emotional state. Passion is great but it needs to be wrapped around a fail-safe, non-negotiable plan.

Q. And?

A. I'm better off doing a few things well, rather than twenty things poorly.

So, I've got three questions for you:

1. What have you learned since January 1?

2. What are you going to do differently in the second half of this year?

3. How will you ensure that your answer to question two becomes a reality rather than just another intention?

Let me know your answers by clicking on the comment thingy.... or just say hi and share your thoughts.

And enjoy 2008... part two.