The Formula for Making Good on Your New Year’s Resolutions

Well, it's been a month since you made your New Year’s resolutions. How's it going? Are you making steady progress? Or, like most of us, have you given up on them?

When you made your New Year’s resolutions for this year, you might have used the formula that is very popular these days among the goal-setting gurus, called SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Specific. This process works well for helping you track your progress toward your goals, but it skips the critical step of helping you identify a goal you really want to get to.

The SMART formula ignores the one thing humans want more of: passion – the yeast that makes the difference between a light, tasty loaf of bread or a lump of hard dough you toss in the garbage. Without passion, resolutions are just an uninspiring to-do list that ends up in the trash can long before it is achieved.

Goals that are based on something you passionately desire will positively set you on fire. Goals that take a burning passion and a bucket of sweat to achieve are guaranteed to take you places you hadn’t dreamed of before. When you are clear about what you really want and have your passion ignited, then use the SMART formula to set red-hot goals you can’t wait to get cracking on.

If you yearn to live large, then set this as your new standard and settle for nothing less. My handy-dandy D’FORWARD formula will help you discover your deepest desires, and be unstoppable in the pursuit of your passion. Here is the formula:

DAYDREAM freely. Picture your highest ideal of what ‘success’ means to you. Imagine yourself in the career you know in your heart would be perfect for you. Envision making a difference in this world, as only you can, in your unique way. Ponder deep, intimate, satisfying relationships. Feel how fulfilling it is to enjoy the fruits of your passionate pursuit as you triple your income this year. Nothing lifts you over obstacles faster than fantasizing about the fabulous things that you can become, have and do. Your self-esteem will soar. You will feel more empowered and more trusting of yourself.

FOCUS on it. Make it real. Breathe life into it by doing research and asking for help when you get stuck. Form a brain trust of like-minded people and kick ideas around. Delegate or abandon the activities in your day that aren’t directly related to your dream. The key is to shift your thinking to possibilities rather than impossibilities as you step toward your heart’s desire.

Set your radar to pick up every OPPORTUNITY, coincidence and synchronicity that comes along. When you keep your eyes peeled, you will be amazed at how many unexpected opportunities pop up. Explore everything you see, read, and hear about that can lead you to your goal.

Learn to live with an acceptable amount of RISK. Don’t allow yourself to be paralyzed by the fear of the unknown or overblown risk. Sure, you are blazing a new path, but there are ways to minimize the risks involved. Invest a reasonable amount of time and effort in foresight, then make the choice to move ahead, trusting that you will be able to handle what comes next.

Give your entire being WHOLEHEARTEDLY to the fulfillment of your desire. Don’t hold back.

ACT. But remain calm. Don’t create unnecessary drama and trauma. Let go of the pressure to take big leaps – simply put one foot in front of the other every day. You’re doing that already. The difference is that now you will be moving in the direction of what you really want. Avoid the trap of needing to know all of the details about how you’re going to get there. The planning mode can be endless, and if you’re glued to a rigid plan, you won’t be able to respond to unforeseen opportunities along the way. All you need is the desire to make it real.

On a regular basis, REVIEW and evaluate your progress toward your desire, making adjustments when needed. Be a passionate student of your life. Learn as much as you can from every experience you have. When things don’t go as you originally plan, avoid getting bogged down in disappointment. Negativity is a potent poison. Instead, use your infinitely creative mind and intuition to come up with Plan B; keep moving in the direction of your desire.

DELIGHT in each step forward. Celebrate every tiny accomplishment along the way for the victory that it is. Use that positive energy to create a surge of momentum, then grab your surfboard and ride the wave!

Visit my blog, listed below, for more tips on setting and fulfilling goals in all parts of your life.