A key reason why we fail to keep our New Year’s Resolutions is because they are made up of the wrong type of objective. Consider the following major categories of goals:

• Vague Goals – If your new year’s resolution is to “Get into shape” or “Grow your business”, you’re probably not going to succeed. That might sound good on paper but how will you know if you are making progress? How will you know when you’ve achieved that goal?
• Result Goals – Often our new year’s resolutions are based on outcomes. For example, you might resolve to “lose twenty pounds” or “increase sales by 25%.” These are better than vague goals because they can be measured, but often are influenced by circumstances that are out of our control. Goal setting should be more about work than results.
• Process Goals – These are the best kinds of objectives because they characterize what you want to do. They are dependent more on effort than they are on random chance. Consider the resolution to “work out four times a week” or “reach out to three new prospects each day.” These dreams can be made a reality through hard work. You don’t need your metabolism or the market to cooperate.

Make 2012 the year of achievement by setting process goals and strategically plan out how you can succeed, Happy New Year!