Today’s Tuesday Reading is from Justin Sipher, Program Leader, Leadership Coach, and Consultant at MOR Associates. Justin may be reached at [email protected] or via LinkedIn.
As the new year begins, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the lessons we’ve learned from the past year. Taking a moment to pause and think about these experiences is invaluable. Philosopher John Dewey once suggested that we do not learn from experience itself, but from reflecting on that experience. This resonates deeply with me. When we fail to invest time in reflection, we risk missing opportunities for learning and the potential to grow from that experience (positive or negative). Can you think of three lessons you learned this past year?
The New Year is also an exciting time to look forward to what lies ahead. Many of us take this opportunity to set “New Year’s resolutions.” These resolutions often revolve around health (e.g., diet or fitness), personal growth (e.g., reading more books, taking a class/certification, earning a degree), personal projects (e.g., finishing that kitchen or basement remodel), or professional ambitions (e.g., improving time management, presenting at a conference, or advancing in your career). While these goals are inspiring, the challenge lies in following through. How many resolutions have you set in the past but not finished?
Why Resolutions Fail
We’ve all seen the statistics of high abandonment—or experienced firsthand—the difficulty of sticking to New Year’s resolutions. In fact, research shows that many people abandon their resolutions by mid-January. Apple is even currently running a commercial about how their watch can help people quit quitting, suggesting that:
“Most people quit their New Year’s resolutions by the second Friday in January. It’s actually called “Quitter’s Day.” But Apple Watch gives you the motivation to run right past Quitter’s Day, and stick to your New Year’s fitness goals.”
While I won’t weigh in on whether an Apple Watch is the answer, their focus on accountability highlights a key truth: success in achieving goals often depends on building repeatable and sustainable practices that result in new habits. Getting the discipline needed is more critical than motivation that will come and go. One way that discipline is achieved is through how we identify ourselves. James Clear’s Atomic Habits highlights this. Having a mental model of being a healthy eater is easier to maintain than one of improving my diet. This new mental model is a key to the discipline needed and even more critical than motivation, as motivation will inevitably come and go. Once a habit is established, external accountability becomes less necessary, as the behavior becomes part of your identity. However, getting into a new habit is not easy!
Setting Goals That Stick
So, what habit do you know is critical for your next step forward? And how can you achieve it with persistence? It starts with setting the right goal and understanding its context. Being able to articulate the context or the “so that” aspect of your goal is key as it becomes the fuel for your persistence.
It’s also essential that you can see yourself achieving the goal you set, with the right work. In the early 2000s, at the start of my Higher Ed IT leadership career, I was given the book Good to Great by Jim Collins. I was fascinated by the data-driven insights on what helped companies transition from average or merely good to exceptional or great. One concept I learned in that book is what Collins calls a BHAG—Big Hairy Audacious Goal. While BHAGs are effective in organizational contexts of charting an ambitious course (think JFK’s moonshot goal), they might not be ideal for personal resolutions. Goals that are too ambitious or distant can feel overwhelming and lead to discouragement. For instance, if I had never run before, setting a goal to complete an ultra-marathon by summer might be unrealistic and lead to abandonment.
Practical Advice for Achieving Your Goals
Here are some tips to set and achieve meaningful goals:
- Define a clear goal with context: Articulate what you want to achieve and why it matters (e.g., “I want to become fit enough to run a 10k so that I have more energy for my family and work”).
- Start when you’re ready to commit: January 1st isn’t the only time to start a goal. Choose a timeline that aligns with your readiness to commit.
- Break it down: Create measurable, repeatable objectives that move you closer to your goal. Think queue, routine, and reward from Charles Duhigg’s book The Power of Habit. Small wins build momentum.
- Establish accountability: Use an accountability partner, a technological system (like a calendar, an app, or the MOR portal), or yes even an Apple Watch to track your progress and keep you on track for the needed success.
Join the Conversation
If this topic resonates with you, consider joining our January MOR alumni meetup on January 23rd, 2025 (2–3 PM ET). During this session, I’ll facilitate exploring how to move from intent to action, commitment, and execution. If you are a MOR program alum, you can sign up to receive a calendar invite for this virtual sessions. For questions about our monthly alumni Zoom sessions, reach out to [email protected].
The Path to Growth
Ultimately, the key to growth is setting goals that align with your values and committing to the work needed to achieve them. Build systems to support your progress, and once you’ve reached your goal, reflect on what you have achieved and then plan what is next. Whether it’s January 1st or any other day, the journey to becoming your best self starts with a goal, having a plan, and then taking a single, intentional step.
So, what habit will you focus on in 2025? How do you identify with this new you? What is the cue that will initiate your new behavior? What is your new routine? What is the resulting reward? And what will be your accountability to support achieving this?
Which will most help you achieve the results critical to your success?
Last time, we considered servant leadership and asked which way you most want to grow your leadership.
- 43% said helping team members see and realize their full potential.
- 31% said creating moments of genuine, meaningful connection.
- 26% said better understanding of what truly motivates and inspires others.
If you’re still looking for ideas of where to evolve as a leader in 2025, these each are very leaderly practices to consider further adopting in 2025. Whatever you choose, how do you establish the new behaviors and routines to make it possible?