New Year's Irresolutions

"This year I'm going to go to the gym at least three days a week," I told myself around the end of December. I promised this would be my year but three weeks and a dozen donunts later it was just the middle of January and I had already broken my new year's resolution. Be honest, what was your resolution this year? To lose weight? Start a retirement plan? Quit smoking? 

It's human nature to make resolutions, and inevitably, it's human nature to break them. However, believe it or not, there's quite a bit of science behind it as well. Studies suggest that 20% of New Year's resolutions are broken within the first week of January (count me in that number), and 80% are broken within the year. What's worse is the effect of breaking the resolution on our psyche. Ultimately it makes us feel worse than if we never made the resolution at all.                             

I've made some epic resolutions in the past, and as you might have guessed, my level of failure has been just as epic! So the question is why? Knowing I'm setting myself up for disappointment, why do I keep making and breaking these yearly pledges? To answer the first question is simple. I want to be a better person. That's easy. We all desire to improve ourselves physically, mentally, emotionally or even monetarily. So then why do we break them? 
Why we break resolutions
One answer to that question is the "all or nothing rule." Simply put, we think in terms of black and white which means we either keep the rule or we break it. We do so well keeping up with the resolution while we're enjoying the successes but completely let go at the first sign of failure. According to Rajesh Bagchi, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing at Virginia Tech, "people tend to take a break-- a well earned breather--after achieving a sub-goal." Unfortunately it's rare that we resume our efforts after the break. 
The second reason we break our resolutions is because as individuals we lack vision. I'm not talking about eye sight. I'm talking about what Webster's defines as "the act or power of anticipating that which will, or may, come to be." Could you imagine a contractor building a home without a blueprint? Better yet, could you imagine a pilot flying without knowing his destination? When you create a vision statement, you're giving your life direction. Your vision statement is who you want to become and it includes your passion. 
Create a vision statement
Having a vision statement takes your focus off of the sub-goals and places it on the end goal. If you made a resolution to earn your CPCU designation, you may or may not get around to actually taking the first test. However, you might be more inspired to carry out this monumental task once you know and understand the root of the motivation or desire to accomplish the goal, such as career confidence, the ability to advance at work, or just the prestige. 
State Auto Senior Sales Consultant Brian Ahearn, one of only 27 Cialdini Method Certified Trainers, states:  "I often tell people one of the most impacting books I've read is Steven Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. The reason I say that is because I took Covey's suggestion and wrote a personal mission statement. For more than 20 years now I've reviewed parts of my mission statement daily as a way to remind myself of who I am, who I'm trying to become, and what's most important in my life. As I look back on life it's apparent my mission statement has impacted my thinking, choices and behavior in very positive ways." 
My vision statementRemember, your vision statement is the picture of yourself that you see in the future. It's who you're working to become. This picture is only bound by what constraints you place on it. For example, on a personal note, I've challenged myself to use 2013 to develop my own personal vision statement, here is an excerpt:         

            "I am a salesman. At all times I will know my product, my company and my customer. I will continually learn from those with more experience and share my knowledge with those I can teach. Ethically and humbly I will strive to offer my services at the highest standard of excellence." 

Take my lead, challenge yourself to create your own vision statement. Write it on a note card, sign it in ink, and keep it handy so you can look at it every Monday morning. When you create and buy-in to a vision statement for yourself, you will begin to develop the framework to reach your goals. 
For more information on creating and keeping a vision statement visit http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_90.htm.