5 Tips to Help Make Your New Year’s Resolution a Reality

Resolution [rez-uh-loo-shuh n] – a course of action determined or decided on

We hear it all the time, “When the New Year comes, I’m going to start a new diet, an exercise program, start saving more money, and get my financial house in order…” Yadda, yadda, yadda. The fitness industry will tell you that their biggest boom in business is always at the beginning of the year and after a few months, they will never see their newly signed up members again. Many health clubs make a bulk of their money from 80% of the people they do not see after Spring Break that continue to still pay monthly fees, along with the regulars who come often and consistently. I find it funny when I ask personal trainers what people ask for when they are hired. People say, “I want the abs I used to have in high school” or “fit into my favorite dress I have not work in years”.

Tax preparation offices, too, make a bulk of their money early in the year as this time somewhat forces people to reflect briefly on their financial situation. As most file their tax returns, they sit with anticipation of receiving a large tax refund or worse, borrow against and paying interest on this large refund so they can walk out of the office with cash in hand.

President Obama, as you recall, had campaigned CHANGE as his path to victory. Yet, it is ultimately up to us to carry this vision into our reality. I personally witnessed thousands of people from all over the world converge to Chicago with excitement and conviction that history was being made. What an experience it was, drawing many to tears as we all saw the dawning of a new era in America.

OK, now what.

What is our action plan for the next morning, the next year or the next generation? What sticks in the back of my mind is whether we, individually, can take the same time many invested to campaign and watch Obama take victory to build up our own knowledge, wisdom and support to make our own dreams happen. Or will we just settle to live vicariously watching someone else win and succeed?

You see, it really is up to us in order to make change mean something. The change we hope for dwells within us. We are change.

Why can’t we make the beginning of our year a BOOM for ourselves just as the fitness industry or tax preparation businesses experience? Why not have this year find you to be the difference-maker within your family, your generation and your circle of friends?

For New Year’s resolutions to change our circumstances, we must have a clear emotional connection to the results we seek. I recall extensive media coverage of citizens shedding tears of pain and joy during Obama’s campaign and especially, his victory speech. Those citizens held a strong connection for the message and vision of Obama and therefore made efforts to make certain his path to the White House became closer and ultimately, reality.

Fear can paralyze you in mediocrity

I believe one of the reasons that resolutions never get carried out is because it requires us to be uncomfortable for a while! And since our comfort zone is somewhat predictable, anything outside of it has no guarantee of success. Unfortunately, that is why many give up too soon and continue to live a life of quiet desperation. Some get stuck with mental paralysis by listening to their own negative self-talk. This self-imposed fear soon manifests into excuses. But champions like the great Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali and Barrack Obama, (yes, even Tiger Woods) solely believe in the things that serve them which allow them to better position themselves for success. They did not allow their upbringing, race issues, family predispositions or even old friends distract them from the purpose and destiny they believe called to do.

It has been said that we are only born with two fears. Those two fears are the fear of falling and fear of loud noises. Notice how both fears are natural physical reflexes. Every other fear is taught and self-directed. In order to bring ourselves to a year of resolution, we have to ask ourselves, what FEAR is holding us back from the greatness, purpose and destiny I was born to fulfill?

Rebuilding Our Confidence

In order to get the change we want, we have to change our set of beliefs and behaviors. Albert Einstein defined insanity as “continuing to do the same thing over and over again but expecting different results”. Unless someone is able to take 100% responsibility for their own actions, it is much easier to STOP and find something less intensive that will make them feel better. True transformation is not a casual process.

Is our economy and personal financial situation a reflection of who we are? Are we not capable of more? Are we not capable of serving and giving back more? Are we really fed up of being fed up? Maybe what has happened to us all, job losses and foreclosures, is not fair. But no great change happens without a large feeling of discomfort.

Maybe this year is that EYE OPENING RESOLUTION to ourselves that we are capable of MORE!

Taking Action at the Start of the New Year

1. Always find yourself becoming a better YOU!

At any point in your life, you’re either growing as a better person or settling for mediocrity. Even within a tragedy, someone can find life-changing opportunities for greatness! It is said that most people never pick up a book after high school and when they do, never read past page 19. People who live the most happy, fulfilled lives are constantly evolving in character, wisdom and contribution. What can you do differently this year that helps edify and build you up?

2. Power of Focus

We live in a society of multi-tasking and always being accessible via phone or email. There is power in the word, NO. It is OK to turn off that cellphone and not check email during parts of the day. Do not confuse activity with productivity. People will have to respect your time and value your attention. That way you are less stressed. What few things can you concentrate on doing that give you the greatest energy and passion?

3. Maintaining accountability and support

In one of the best-selling books of all time, states “If a man compares himself to himself, he is a fool”. You may find yourself a fast runner amongst the group of people you normally hang out with only to take a step back and realize that everyone else was just walking. We need to get around people who stretch, motivate and inspire us to the greatness we all have inside. When was the last time you did a personal inventory and affirmed, outloud, your personal beliefs, talents and accomplishments?

4. Prepare for worst case scenarios

While serving in the Marines, we were always taught to prepare for the worse but expect the best. Having an action plan for when disaster strikes keeps us calm and confident in the midst of a storm. What are the life, financial and spiritual lessons you learned from last year that should be prevented and applied in the years ahead?  Have you sought out the right people to help you create a system to avoid these pitfalls?

5. Rethink traditional financial planning strategies

If I told you that over 310 mortgage companies, 25 major banks and 5 elite financial services companies where to FAIL in addition to a 35% drop in real estate values and retirement accounts, what would you have told me? I thought so. But horrific financial times have come to pass and projections of our economy getting stronger are bleak. These are rapidly changing times so the methods and strategies of traditional wealth building and accumulation have to evolve as well. Although basic principles of discipline, prudence and discernment never change, the financial knowledge handed down from previous generations must be re-evaluated. For example, most people consider their home the biggest financial nest egg in their lifetime. However, according to the Boomer Consumer, 97% of all homeowners have not been presented options in using home equity to fund their retirement and maintain financial control. I can tell you, in an emergency situation, what would you rather have, $100k of home equity or $100k of cash? What traditional methods can you challenge this year that will help you explore more options and alternatives you never knew existed? Why were you not previously aware of these choices?

BONUS TIP for parents with high school seniors:  Submit college FASFA forms and tax preparation early – For most people, the first two months of the year represents the time of the year to review their existing financial circumstances. In the mail they receive the bills from Christmas, W-2 forms reflecting how much money you made at your job and other 1099 forms from savings accounts or mutual funds. This is a great time to assess your finances and get a jump start ahead. Financial aid from colleges are granted on a first-come, first-serve basis on properly completed forms (www.fasfa.gov) and tax refunds remind us how much we gave Uncle Sam throughout the year. What adjustments can you make with your financial counselor so you can send your children to college without compromising your own financial security?

You Can Do It

My mentor taught me a rhyme that goes, “Never let it rest, until good gets better and better gets best”. I hope that this year we all commit to a meaningful transformation that will mark the rising of a new generation of critical thinkers, innovators and implementers. Once we can take a step out in faith and in confidence, we are then able to discover exciting new worlds that were there all along. Only then, can our discipline and focus turn into the BELIEF for the change we have been asking for.