Vincent Ivan Phipps, M.A.
Contributing Writer
Communication VIP
A New Year is coming but will you be the same old you?
Whether you are awful or awesome, you have an obligation to be better. As we embark upon another holiday season full of food, fun, and festivities, we are also inundated with the personal and professional pressures of making promises to ourselves. Make a selfpromise in July, it’s just a promise. Make a self-promise in December or January, and ta-dah, it becomes a New Year’s Resolution!
In 27 B.C. The Babylonians of the Roman Empire gave proclamations to the God, Janus. The month of January is named after this God. Promises of returning borrowed items or settling debts were made to God Janus. As the continuation of this act became a consistent tradition, it has become common during the month of January, now the first month of the year in our Western culture, New Year’s Resolutions are promises to ourselves.
The top 9 New Year Resolutions all involve two dynamics: Health or Money.
45{938cd9e8dae860e800efc538277d4f7684e6f6981618ba70d1c34357a53c2e1f} Make New Year’s Resolutions.
33{938cd9e8dae860e800efc538277d4f7684e6f6981618ba70d1c34357a53c2e1f} Quit by February 1 (That’s really sad!).
Health club and gym memberships from December, January, and February, (first 90 days of the year) make up 71{938cd9e8dae860e800efc538277d4f7684e6f6981618ba70d1c34357a53c2e1f} of the gym’s annual revenue!
Here 3 ways to be successful in keeping your New Year’s Resolutions.
1. Include numbers.
Don’t say this… Say this…
Lose weight. Reduce body fat by 15{938cd9e8dae860e800efc538277d4f7684e6f6981618ba70d1c34357a53c2e1f}
Save money. Save $290/month.
Get a better job. Apply to at least 3 new positions.
2. Have 3 timing points:
Avoid vague statements such as: “next week”, “when I get more time”, and “one day”.
Have a start date, a check point date, and a completion date. For example, “January 1, I will lose one pound a month for 12 consecutive months. By June 6, I will be six pounds lighter. I will be 12 pounds lighter by December 31.”
3. Share it:
Say your goals out loud. For you Social Media people, post your goals online. This will be sure to test how serious you are. Dr. John C. Norcross, author of Changeology, said, “Tell others about your goals to increase your accountability.”
If you are serious about making positive changes in your life, don’t wait until New Year’s Day. Start now! Every calendar has a Monday and a Sunday. No calendar has a, “Someday”. Amplify your life to amplify the lives of others!
Vincent Ivan Phipps as professional speaker and training expert in Communication, Leadership, Attitude, and Customer Service. Vincent is the author of “Speak Like a Pro!” As Owner and CEO (Chief Energy Officer) of Communication VIP Training and Coaching, Vincent’s company specializes in facilitating classes, giving presentations and conducting 1-On-1 coaching to improve interpersonal communication skills.