I’m going to address new year’s resolutions, a topic that has typically run its course by this time every year. But, I pray this slightly different perspective, is one you may want to explore as we just eclipsed Quitter’s Day .
I have a privilege of working with some amazing clients; they are smart and by all objective measures, wildly successful. They have achieved what most professionals aspire to and have often created wealth that will sustain their progeny for generations. In our work, we spend a lot of time talking about their enterprise(s) and what they are looking to create, the goals they have, how they want to structure those organizations and what governance is needed to bond it all together. We talk strategic planning, KPIs, OKRs, and a lot of other consultant-y acronym. It’s complex, challenging, and for me, an absolute joy.
However, we also lean into the personal; the emotional “stuff” that marinades beneath the surface and flavors nearly all the relationships they have with others. Sometimes it’s sweet, other times bitter. What I find most poignant in these conversations (and the point of this post) is that what surfaces most often is not related to what a family member has achieved, how much they have given to charity, how many marathons they have run, nor how much they left to the next generation, it’s how that family member shows up for others. At the end of the day, how someone “is” will significantly outweigh what they do, and yet every year we establish SMART goals and lofty targets for what we want to achieve. A bit of a disconnect?
Put pen to paper and set your target weight, your quarterly aspirations, and the projects that this year, unlike the last, will be completed. I’m not discouraging this. However, I think your annual impact will be significantly greater if instead you set your sights on how you show up as a father, mother, brother or sister, how you are going to be a friend, how you lead and support your colleagues, and how your presence adds abundance to the lives of those around you. As Maya Angelou said, “…people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
Here's to you and who you strive to become this new year.
Cheers.
