It is the week before New Year’s. People are planning, dreaming, resolving, and perhaps dismayed at the previous year. So I decided to provide some thoughts about New Year’s resolutions and also write a poem for those of us with big plans for next year and beyond. The poem is included below.

I’ve written before how I do not make New Year’s resolutions but am not against using the New Year as a reminder to assess our plans. In fact, a few weeks ago I started suggesting you assess your goals and plans and use the new year as a good enough demarcation point for putting some plans into place. However, I also suggested that, in order to achieve some of those plans, you will need to make daily resolutions that keep you on tasks.

I am resolving to do some things and resolved to do them!

Desire without a plan and action is folly

I also discount a LOT of the proponents of Positive Mental Attitude (PMA) and purely motivation focused events. Mostly because I’ve witnessed and had many people tell me after such events, they come back without a pragmatic plan of action and the motivation becomes frustration and even bitterness. Next year, they are back at some “motivation seminar” – spending money they have not earned on the business dream or “life plan” they have not put into place.

I’m an optimist -but optimism with no plan is the same as pessimism with no plan but you have a smile on your face. In time, that optimism looks like foolishness and in most cases causes the optimistic to optimistically simple stop dreaming their dreams.

FYI: That’s okay.. contentment is a good thing.. but in many cases that person simply becomes silent about what they really want and contentment is a masks for despair with a smile.

Planning for action is a good first action

This coming week I’m going to write a couple entries about some of my plans for the New Year. Not all my plans.. personally I don’t believe it is necessarily useful for people to share their plans publicly. It is more important that you share them with your team, your coach or mentor, and, if necessary, an inner-circle to keep you accountable.

I’ll share some of those plans to let you see a bit of my process and how those plans are there to keep me focused and keep me motivated by achievement… this is the best motivation you can have, the motivation that is a byproduct of completing key tasks.

Below is my New Year’s poem.. Probably not winning an award with this but for an early morning, on my second cup of coffee, I’m satisfied! Enjoy!

A Poem For The Dream Doer

It is the day after Christmas and all round the world
People’s plans for the next year are getting a little absurd.
I’m going lose weight, improve my financial position
Have better relationships or just make better decisions

And while those all sound great and desire to be better is noble
Such statements typically ring empty; New Year’s resolutions a foible
Point A to Point B is not achieved by our desire or dreams
But by the plan and the action and diligent follow thru it seems

I’m not saying do not dream. Dream big and aim high
but you must do quite a bit more or those dreams will shrivel and die
But some feet on your goals; take the time to plan and prep
Write down those dreams and some intermediate steps

Surround yourself with the “dreamers who do”
Perhaps a mentor who has done it and believes you can too
Someone who pushes you forward, they might be a bit of a pain
because they won’t stand for excuses or let your lose sight of your plan

Silence the critic, the skeptic, and those who foster despair
Those content to believe that opportunity is not there
And remember the wise words, paraphrased so they fit
Those who believe it can’t be done, stay out of the way of us doing it!
- Matthew Moran, December 26, 2011