Steve Levinson, co-author of the book Following Through, says that "One in four resolutions bites the dust within a week. About half of them are gone within a month." And what will make you feel even more energized is that Levinson's research reveals that within six months, most resolutions are dead. "They are history. They are toast."

So, why not quit while you're ahead? Don't wait six days or six months. Do it now. Instantly release guilt and create more sanity by simply letting go. And hold on to this thought from Lin Yutang :

"Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone. The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials."

Ahhh, now we're getting to it. Non-essentials. Things that don't work or don't do enough in our lives. Maybe they used to, maybe at one time you were more interested and wanted to learn and be engaged. Now, it's just a drag.

The book club that's really a wine club and you don't drink. The networking meeting that's mainly small business owners and now you are working in a large corporation. The volunteer committee you are on for a loved charitable organization, but the meetings no longer fit your schedule.

Let go. Quit. It's not only okay, it's good. Very good. For you and for everyone else touched by your involvement. Everyone is freed up to discover new ideas, new people and new energy.

"Quit the wrong stuff, stick with the right stuff, and have the courage to do one or the other" states Seth Godin in his short, powerful tome The Dip: When to Quit and When to Stick.

Quitting definitely takes courage. More courage than creating New Year's resolutions. Because it feels uncomfortable to change your own behavior and awkward to say no. I like Charlie Gilkey's approach to quitting. He calls it "strategic withdrawal" which "recognizes that there are some obligations that we have that we really don't want, but that it's nonetheless important to see them through." So, you see through your commitments without over-doing it, and then don't renew. Now there's a short-term plan you can endure.

Are you feeling better already, relieved that you don't have to fulfill all those well-intended New Year's resolutions? Use that opened-up space in your heart and head to focus on what you really care about and what you really have the passion to achieve. Those are worth sticking to, those are worth achieving, and those are worth not quitting.

Comments: