But first

It's January 4th, not only the start of a new calendar year but the start of another birth year. You see, today is my birthday and as I’ve said before, I love beginnings. It’s a chance to reset your expectations. Sure, last year may have been a bust, but now is a chance to start again. A chance to recalibrate your sites and begin anew.

(For the record: last year certainly was not a bust.)

I enjoy setting lofty aspirational marks at these set points. Throwing caution to the wind, I’ll make daring statements like, “I’m going to Tweet 5 inspirational messages each day. By the end of the year, I’ll be the new Tony Robbins of my generation.” Then day 2 rolls around and my well of inspiration has dried up and my five followers on Twitter carry on as usual.

To be honest, I’ve never made any goals directed toward Twitter. But I have made half baked resolutions on the cusp of a birthday many times before.

The problem with such goals is they’re made in the moment. They’re created out of an inspirational high. And if the large percentage of failed New Year resolutions from each year have taught us anything it’s that inspiration is an unreliable source. Does that mean I’ve given up on goals, aspirations, and birthday resolutions? 

Absolutely not. 

What it means is that more thought is given. It demands asking questions like, “Does X goal align with the mission I’ve already set in place?” Or “Are the day-to-day actions required of achieving X resolution realistically maintainable throughout this year?”

The inner fantasy must be balanced by an inner reality. It might start with an inspirational desire to accomplish X on January first or the day of your birthday. But it must be met with the same proactive action every subsequent day.