A New Year’s Resolution

We all love to celebrate the New Year, and to make our New Year’s resolutions. But why are they so difficult to keep, no matter how hard we try? Latin American Cargo‘s CEO Homero Herrera shares with us a timely message about the need for constant efforts in order to reach our goals.

Another calendar year has almost gone. The unfailing yearly ritual has already started. Sounds of ‘Merry Christmas’ and ‘A Happy New Year’ echo through the air. Parking spots at the shopping malls are becoming a treat of pure luck. Gigantic lineups waiting at every store. Nature has dressed the city in white. Gifts are the epitome of the season. And among these customary proceedings there is one I call:

“The New Year’s resolution virus”

As December 31st gets nearer, the virus spreads more rapidly and it gets stronger than ever. It will soon infect us all. New Year resolution viruses come in all kinds:

• lose weight; quit smoking;
• be a better parent;
• become the next business mogul;
• be more organized;
• start going to church;
• study more; etc

The list goes on and on. The good news is that sooner or later most of us will be immune to the virus and we will return to our safety zone; a safety zone which is known as the status quo.

But is this really good news? Changing the status quo is definitely a challenge.

A resolution is probably the last step in a changing process that requires discipline and good planning. Having a clear understanding of our reason for change is the initial and most important step.

Let’s ask ourselves:

• “Why do I want to change?
• What will this change do for me?
• How serious am I about the change?”

We must then answer with certainty and, above all else, with sincerity. If we do, we will suddenly realize that a New Year’s resolution is never enough. What we need is a continuous resolution. This is what I call a New Day’s resolution.

I still remember when I used to wait until the very last weekend to start working on an assignment given to me a month before; the result was a total disaster. Waiting for the year end to take action is like waiting for that last weekend. Why wait? I now have a hard time understanding the logic behind such an action.

Yes it is true, life is about peaks and valleys. It would be unrealistic to believe that we are always at our highest; it would actually be dishonest. The most important thing is to never stop climbing. Never stop growing.

This is when consistency plays a key role in making the difference between the achievers and those who keep blaming circumstance, wishing things would be better or different.

“He made a fist and pointed at a picture of the mountain. He said in a loud voice, ‘Mount Everest, you beat me the first time, but I’ll beat you the next time because you’ve grown all you are going to grow… but I’m still growing!’ ”
Brian Cavanaugh, T.O.R, The Sower’s Seeds

The writer of this paragraph was referring to Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man who ever climbed Mount Everest.

So, what is your New Year’s resolution?