One of the cool things I encountered recently was the idea of ditching resolutions in favor of coming up with a theme or word for the year.
I actually did this last year, even though I didn’t really think of it as such. Last year, because I was trying to figure stuff out, I didn’t set any resolutions for my business or personal life. I ended up exploring.
Looking back, I can see that my theme for the year was “explore.”
It worked out really well, and I learned a lot about myself.
This year, I’m setting a new word to be my focus. It’s a great business theme as well as a personal theme. That word is “grow.”
Resolutions vs. Themes
There’s nothing wrong with setting resolutions for your business and using benchmarks to measure your progress. However, setting resolutions can get tedious after a while. You can also start to feel like a failure for so many reasons.
For one year, it can help to shake things up and focus on a business theme instead of getting hung up on resolutions.
Your business theme is about moving your business in a certain direction. You still set goals and benchmarks (you have to measure where you’re going), but they don’t necessarily have to do with “traditional” business resolutions.
Instead, the idea is to set goals and take actions that help fit with the theme of your business.
Last year, I explored different avenues for my business and my life. I figured out what might work, and what I should change. This year, with the theme “grow,” I’m ready to start taking action.
I’ve created a game plan designed to help my business grow, and help the projects I’m involved with improve during the coming year. It’s a way to focus efforts toward an area that you could use help with.
Keep Your Goals in Line With Your Business Theme
Before you set a goal or benchmark, make sure to consult your objective(s) and theme(s) for the year.
The idea is to get all parts of your business on point with your overall theme for the coming year. All of your goals and benchmarks should help your business work toward its theme.
Your business theme can guide you in a way resolutions might not. Plus, having a theme means that you can adjust. You don’t fail at a goal and give up. Instead, you make a new goal or plan to help you keep with your theme.
One of the problems I have with resolutions is that it feels like you have to start all over again if things don’t quite go your way. With a theme, the idea is to keep making progress, even if you have to adjust your expectations as the year goes on.
Bottom Line
You can always do better. We all can. As you look ahead to the new year for your business, take some time to think about whether or not a business theme can help you guide your business, and even set better goals and benchmarks.
