Step 4: Having Faith in Resolution

“Some things have to be believed to be seen”
Ralph Hodgson

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HAPPY NEW YEAR! Have you made out your New Year’s resolution?

Wait a minute – what if you’re reading this and it isn’t January? Well then you’ve already set those resolutions, are on track to accomplish those goals and have moved on to new ones. Or did you reach those goals? Do you need to have a New Year to set your sights on what is available?newyearsresolutions

The reason so many people set their resolutions on January 1 is that it’s a new year, a new beginning and a fresh start! We look to take that time and wash away the old and faulty. Most of us are in the habit of setting a resolution at the beginning of a new year. Most of us never stick to these resolutions!

It is usually the practice when setting a resolution to give up something, to rid ourselves of those things we enjoy in over-abundance. We rely on our ability to deny! Webster’s dictionary gives us the definition of a resolution as: the act or process of reducing to simpler form. I really like this idea! How simple to simply simplify. Take whatever task we have laid out in front of us, analyze that complex notion and break-it into simpler tasks.

How far away 365 days can be. I know there are some who have stopped reading these posts and gone on to other things. They lost sight, desire, determination, and the dedication to follow through on 52 simple steps that would have made a huge impact on how they live their lives. How simple it is to follow an assignment, task, goal that you set for yourself for one day. Take that one day, follow it with the next, add another day and another until you have put together your year. Sounds easy? We know on paper it is, sitting in your comfy chair it’s a cake walk, in reality it’s a little harder.

So what’s the secret? Pure and simple – FAITH! Faith, making an allegiance to duty. In the Texas Rangers Baseball locker room at The Ball Park in Arlington, Texas there is (or was) a sign that says, “Faith – Being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see!” With faith, you can set your sights on your destination, and know the goal you have set you will be able to obtain. See yourself grabbing the gold ring and making your vision become a reality.

As the year progresses, you will encounter road blocks, stop signs, detours and other “traffic” that may slow you down or even get you to a point where you want to stop your journey. When you find yourself up against one of these hazards, stop, step back and find your faith. Find whatever it is in you that made you give that allegiance to your task in the first place. Rekindle the fire and KEEP AFTER YOUR DESTINATION – KEEP THE FAITH. No one ever got anywhere standing still or stopping their journey.

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Take out the goal you’ve set for yourself. This is the goal you laid out when you went to see your mentor. Examine the goal and, on another sheet of paper, make two columns. In one column, put down the obstacles that could come up during the process of reaching that goal. Maybe you’re looking at losing weight. You might put down holidays, family gatherings, vacations, or even moods or events that seem to trigger emotions that get you off track. With putting in time with the community group, you might put down work commitments, travel, family events or other activities that might take you away from your ability to donate your time and effort to what you want to do.

Now take that list and along the second column write out how you will deal with the situation that comes up. Make a disaster plan before the problem arises. In Rudolph Giuliani’s book, “Leadership”, he writes a whole chapter on the topic “Prepare Relentlessly”. He states that preparation was the single most important key to success, no matter what field! He believes it was planning and preparation done long before 9/11 that allowed New York to handle the disaster like they did. Problems will come up – that you can bet on. The way you handle those events will determine your success. Plan now. You’re on your diet and know you’re having a party. On your list you’ve written down to get in extra exercise the days leading up to the party, really get strict with what you’re eating a few days before, and at the party you’ll limit yourself to the AMOUNT of what you eat and drink – but not WHAT you eat and drink. By having a plan in place and working the plan, you’ll develop the faith in yourself that you can reach your destination and that you had the resolve to stick to your resolution!