80% of New Year Resolutions Fail Unless You Have an Action Plan

In the middle of the day, has an idea ever randomly come to your mind like "it will be great if I could…"? At least personally, I could finish the sentence in many ways. For example, it will be great if I could have more people get to know me. It will be great if I could read more. Or it will be great if I could speak louder with confidence. All these sayings sound familiar, right? Because that is what we might announce a few days later as 2020 new year resolutions. 

We always have great ideas in our minds. However, the reality is that if we do not take care of these inspiring ideas, it is highly possible that we may repeat saying them again and again. So firstly, take ownership of your ideas and goals. Once your goals are there, you just need the wheel to make the magic play, and that is an action plan.

Businessdictionary.com defines Action Plan as "a sequence of steps that must be taken, or activities that must be performed well, for a strategy to succeed." Here are some real tips to help you design and implement an effective action plan. Think about an idea that always sits in your mind, and see how well you could find the answers from below.  

1. Define Meaning: Seek Clarity and Turn Ideas into Goals.

• What drives you behind to make a change?
• Can you rephrase your wish into a goal statement and grant it a bigger meaning?
• Is the goal worth the time and effort that you will invest?
• Does the goal align with your long-term plan and values?
• If you achieve this goal, do you think it will increase your happiness and confidence?

2. Prove Measurability: Break Down the Goal into Small Steps with Deadlines

• What could you do on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to approach your goal?
• Be determined. Persistence + Consistency = Will Power
• Be flexible. Moderation + Adaptability = Sustainability
• Be kind. Don't forget to leave time for your simple pleasures!

3. Establish Accountability: Quantify Your Efforts

• How many hours do you plan to spend every day?
• How many events do you plan to attend every week?
• How many people do you plan to talk to every month?

4. Search Resources: Build a Strong Support System

• What resources could your school or organization provide as additional help?
• Have you invited your peers or mentors to evaluate your plan?
• Are any of your friends or coworkers working on the same goal?
• Are there any groups or organizations that you could join?

At this point, you might already have drawn more details in your blueprint. Lastly, I want to share with you some great inspirations that I have learned from my resources.

"Plan your input, not output." – Nir Eyal, Author of “Hooked” and “Indistractable” 

"Remember, no matter it is big or small, your action today shapes your future." – Steve Goldberg, my mentor

"NEVER say you are not enough. You just need an action plan, and make it happen!" – My belief

My lovely friends, we are only a few days away from a new decade. I believe your 2019 was loaded with laughter, efforts and meaningful personal growth. May 2020 bring you new visions, freedom, and an action plan that leads to success. In our path of pursuing dreams, we might fail or succeed. But the most important thing is that one day when we look back, we will be amazed by the difference between who we are today, and who were were before. Happy New Year! 

Bibliography

Action Plan. (n.d.) in Business Dictionary. Retrieved from http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/action-plan.html

Nir Eyal and Arianna Huffington. (2018, August 31). Becoming Indistractable [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/learning/becoming-indistractable/making-time-for-traction