The new year is here!
Did you make any resolutions for 2015?
If you’re like most people you did…. but you’re not totally sure it’ll last. Will the “new you” make it to 2016?
The sad fact is that most resolutions don’t make it past Groundhog Day. That’s not a dig on anyone’s character or will power, but rather a reflection on the flawed nature of resolution-setting.
I propose a fundamental twist that will not only help you keep your new year’s resolutions, but also help you grow into new ones you didn’t even know you had.
The idea came from what some consider the epitome of art – David.
What in the world does a 500-year-old piece of marble have to do with your New Year’s resolutions?
Simple.
The same mindset used to carve David will give you an edge in cultivating your best self in 2015.
So the story goes….
The Pope asks Michelangelo, “How did you create this masterpiece? What is the secret to your genius?”
His answer – “It’s simple. I just remove everything that is not David.”
This is the essence of what I call the “Reverse-Resolution.”
Instead of struggling all year to “resolve” yourself into being something that you’re not, observe what is standing in the way of your expression of your true self. Simply take away everything you are not.
Examine your daily choices and behaviors. What are you allowing in your life that doesn’t serve you and what you value?
Procrastination?
Junk food?
TV?
Sand the edges.
This may not be easy, but it will be genuine.
So if you feel more like a dirty rock than chiseled, polished artwork – what can you chip away that will add authentic detail to your days? This is not a once-a-year concept, but rather a commitment to the continuous habit of self-improvement.