Kye "K" Chung

Good stuff.

So what’s the secret to keeping the resolutions you make?

Writing them down? Nope. I’ve not kept resolutions I’ve written down.

Commitment? No, I’m pretty committed to what I write down.

Developing a plan? I’ve had plans that I’ve not followed before either.

Discipline? I can be pretty disciplined in some areas but not in others.

So what is it? Why do I keep some resolutions but not others? I spend some time reflecting on that and realized that when I add two key ingredients into my new year’s resolution process, my accomplishment rate jumps significantly:

Specific Accountability. When I personally track with someone on my goals, I am far more likely to meet them. Whether you join a club, hire a trainer, meet with a consultant or share the goals you have with mentors or a personal board of directors, creating specific accountability will help you fulfil far more of your goals.

Measuring the Cost of Non-Fulfilment. When I count the cost of not fulfilling a goal, I am more likely to fulfill it. The tough part is that a lot of the consequences to not fulfilling your goals are far down the road. Not losing 20 pounds probably won’t kill you this year, but it might in 20 years. Financial irresponsibility may not bankrupt you in 2012, but it could expose you to real hardship three years from now. Neglecting your relationship with God, your marriage or your parenting might not create any immediate crisis a year from now, but give it five years and you could end up divorced, estranged from your kids and feeling like God has lost all interest in you.