"That's a pie crust promise," said Mary Poppins, "Easily made; easily broken."
Go ahead and make a New Year's Resolution. Ceremonial dates are important. They give us pause. We look behind to the last one; look ahead to the next one. We draw energy from the pause, leverage that energy to imagine what could be different next year, and make a commitment to make that difference.
Don't stop there. The easily made part is the commitment. Easily broken is doing the work to make a difference.
Here's why commitments are so easily broken. Differences are made by a person, doing a thing, at a time. They are called filmable events. They leave evidence that could be used in a court of law.
What are you, person, going to do that could be witnessed by another person, that will be a step toward a difference having been made? Having made a commitment, imagine a next real thing you can do to start the movement toward manifesting that commitment?
Now. When are you going to do that first real thing that will start the movement toward manifesting that commitment?
Since you're already using your time, attention, and energy all day; every day on something -- even if it's sleeping or worrying -- what can you find that you're currently doing that's less worthy than what you propose doing, and replace it with that first real thing that will start the movement toward manifesting that commitment?
Look at all those question marks? They implore us to exert ourselves. Our brain wants to stay in its groove: Shakespeare's "primrose path" You want to start the movement toward manifesting the commitment. Your brain wants to do same old; same old.
This is how our brain easily breaks the promise. "If I don't do it today. I can do it tomorrow," it tells us. ""If I don't do it tomorrow, I can do it next week." "If I don't do it next week, I can do it next month." It drifts us along until we forget amid the all day; every day; same old.
Go ahead. Make that resolution. Now be, what's the word? Resolute! Based on real data from our research, if you don't do a first real thing that will start the movement toward manifesting that commitment by Saturday, January 18, give it up. Wait 'til next year.
You will do it, though, won't you?
Then make sure you've done another real thing that will maintain the movement toward manifesting that commitment by Friday, January 31. Then do another by Monday, February 17th.
Now you'll have momentum on your side. You'll be doing what David Allen calls "grooving new grooves."
Want an accountability partner? Text me +1 802 258 1237 what real things you're doing to manifest your commitment in the real world between now and Monday, February 17,. I'll be your witness.
Warm regards,
Francis Sopper
REFERENCED IN THIS LETTER:
Mary Poppins: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058331/quotes/?item=qt0437026
primrose path: https://www.shakespeare-online.com/quickquotes/quickquotehamletprimrose.html