Navigating Quitter’s Day and Crafting Your Best Year
"A solid routine fosters a well-worn groove for one's mental energies and helps stave off the tyranny of moods." Mason Currey
Every year, the second Friday of January brings with it a peculiar holiday known as Quitter’s Day, as noted by National Today, a comprehensive catalog of holidays. This date was chosen because research indicates that around 80% of people who make New Year’s resolutions abandon them by the second week of January. Quitter’s Day was created to encourage “quitters” to revive their efforts towards accomplishing their goals. Activities on this day include celebrating past achievements, revising set goals, and teaching effective goal setting techniques to others.
If you’re looking to be one of the few who set and accomplish their goals in 2024, consider implementing some of the wisdom in Michael Hyatt’s bestselling book Your Best Year Ever: A 5-Step Plan for Achieving Your Most Important Goals. Here’s an overview of those five steps:
Step 1 - Examine Your Beliefs
Your beliefs are powerful. Consider the example of Roger Bannister and the sub-4-minute mile. Before 1954 the consensus held that running a mile in under 4 minutes was impossible. This perspective dramatically shifted on May 6, 1954, when Roger Bannister completed a mile in 3 minutes and 59 seconds. Subsequently, over 1700 athletes have achieved this feat (with the current record at 3:43.13). The shift in belief was crucial to the outcome.
Take a close look at your own beliefs regarding what is achievable in your life. What do these beliefs reveal about your mindset? Does it lean toward abundance or scarcity? Is it growth-oriented or fixed? Recognizing this is pivotal because our mindset shapes our expectations, perceptions, and actions, which ultimately influence outcomes and reality.
Identify any limiting beliefs preventing you from reaching your highest potential. Address these doubts because they are toxic to goals and hinder you from identifying strategies that will help you achieve your goals. Adopt a new belief that propels you toward your objectives.
Step 2 - Review the Past
Reflect on past goals, mistakes, and regrets. Choose to see these as opportunities rather than obstacles and express gratitude for this newfound wisdom! Apply the lessons learned to adjust your behavior in accomplishing your new goals. The past can be either a roadblock or a road sign directing you to a better future – the choice is yours.
Step -3 Write Your Goals
According to research by Gail Matthews of Dominican University, writing down your goals increases your chances of accomplishing your goals by 42%. Michael Hyatt highlights five reasons to put goals in writing, including clarity, overcoming resistance, motivation, filtering opportunities, and tracking progress. He recommends setting no more than 8 goals per year. Ideally, these are just outside your comfort zone, but not so far out that they bleed into the “delusional zone.”
Step 4 - Define Your WHY
Understand why you want to achieve your goals. Identify key motivations to return to when tempted to quit. Know the stakes if you achieve or don’t achieve your goals. Surround yourself with people who understand and support your why.
Step 5 - Be Strategic
Approach goals strategically. If you are procrastinating, tackle what you fear first. If working on big goals and projects, then start with easier tasks for early wins that build momentum. Develop habits or routines that move you toward accomplishing your goals even when motivation is lacking. Identify the obstacles that may derail you and plan your response. Periodically review, adjust and celebrate your goals.
A word of caution: Beware of the Law of Diminishing Intent, which states that our intention tends to diminish the longer we wait to act. Michael Hyatt urges us to take decisive action as soon as possible. Do it NOW!
Get started making 2024 your best year ever with our One Year Goal Setting Guide.