Around the world, the soft glow of the light at the end of the social isolation tunnel is coming into focus. Naturally, the messages on social media have pivoted onto what people are interested in doing when ‘The Great Lock Down’ is over.
The first place to go. The first thing to do. The first person to see.
The 'what i'm going to do when...' type of thinking might feel familiar. It is a symptom of the Resolution Mindset. Usually associated with the beginning or the ending of a year, making a Resolution or having a Resolution Mindset occurs when embarking on something or practically anything new.
Even at the beginning of this quarantine/isolation, you would have made at least one resolution.
To workout more, to be productive, to finish that project, to read that book.
All of these were resolutions.
Resolutions are essentially promises you make to yourself,
to do or not do something.
Although they make you feel good to make, resolutions rarely 'stick'.
They have a shelf life, their magic fades away and old habits resume.
Why are resolutions so difficult to follow through on?
Having a resolution is not a bad thing. The maladaptive mindset comes when high performance errors are made when constructing the resolution. As we begin to romanticize the idea of what the world will look like post-COVID, lets look at resolution errors that keep us from High Performing.
Error 1 - Thinking that making the decision to do/not do is enough
The High Performance approach would be to consider resolutions more like goals. Effective Goal Setting requires that the intention (what you want to see happen) is Specific, Measurable, Adjustable, Realistic, and Timely. Effectively making a plan, instead of a promise.
Error 2 - Believing that its something that you should do
The High Performance Approach would be to evaluate Purpose and Motivation. Is the motivation behind the resolution internal or external? Making sure that whatever it is that you want to do, is what YOU want. When life becomes challenging, this aspect of the resolution is what can make or break your commitment to it.
Error 3 - Expecting things to fall into place
The High Performance approach would be to Manage Expectations. This High Performance Skill is difficult even for the Highest High Performer. When returning from an injury, recovering after a loss, rebuilding after a failure, expectations are the glue that keep you connected to your goals.
As we begin to excitedly and subconsciously prepare for the beginning of the Post-Covid Era. Take some time to process this new beginning; be intentional and set your Resolutions like a High Performer.
Set them as goals, with an internal purpose/motivation and manage expectations.
Want help with Making your Post-COVID Resolutions? Check in with Dr.V
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