Making The Most of New Year’s Resolutions!
Happy New Year! And, what comes with the New Year? Resolutions, of course! You know, those promises we all tend to make and hardly ever keep. I don’t make them anymore because I find that I hardly ever follow through. For me, the essential problem with resolutions is I tend to make them too big, too gray, and too immeasurable. I’m going to work out more, or read more, or call more – good intentions all around, but very hard to follow through with once the day-to-day craziness of life takes over again on January 2nd. Now, if I were to say my resolution is to lose 15 pounds, then I can at least measure that. I can set the goal, work out a couple times a week, make better food choices and celebrate my progress when I step on the scale each morning. Of course, that celebration only comes if I follow through.
I want you to think about your college process in the same way. Think about measurable goals that you can follow through on. Instead of saying, “I’m going to visit all the schools on my college list in the spring,” say, “I’m going to visit four schools from my college list in March.” Instead of saying, “I’m going to get better grades in the second half of the school year,” say, “I’m going to invest four hours every week in studying, working on homework and school-related projects”. Instead of saying, “I’m going to spend a lot of time preparing for the SAT,” say, “I’m going to take four practice tests to prepare for the SAT.” Each of these is measurable and doable if you follow through.
So, go ahead and make your resolutions. Celebrate the arrival of the New Year and look forward to what good things may come your way. Just take a moment to think about what it is you want to accomplish first. Then, set the bar high and go out and work your tail off to reach it. You will be so glad you did.
Happy New Year to you and yours! May the New Year bring health, happiness and good news to you and your families!
I invite you to post any comments or questions below. You can also email me directly at eric@doblercollegeconsulting.com.
Eric Dobler is the president and founder of Dobler College Consulting. Follow him on Twitter.