# The Impending New Year By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2022-12-26 There is a tendency to reflect and plan as a new cycle is about the begin. This is the impetus behind New Year’s resolutions. An important part of this endeavor is the reflection piece. Determining what went well, what didn’t, where one is, and where one would like to provide the starting point for subsequent, disciplined action. The key is disciplined action. Gyms that are packed the second week of January are nearly empty by the last week of February. Accomplishing any goal of merit requires consistent focus. This can be challenging to sustain. Organizations suffer from this as well as individuals. Routine is seductive. After developing a strategy and celebrating its rollout, many organizations revert to “business as usual.” As this happens people become cynical. Eventually, people might stop making New Year’s resolutions in their personal lives and stop contributing to the planning and implementation of organizational strategy at work. The New Year is imminent. It will come whether one plans to make one’s life better in the future or not. Similarly, organizations will develop and attempt to implement and sustain strategic initiatives. It will occur whether one participates in it or not. The evidence is overwhelming for cynicism. Objectively, failure is more likely. Perhaps significantly more likely. So what? There is little joy from the small returns achieved when betting on the house favorite. Euphoria comes when the longshot pays out. Dare to dream and hope. Envision a future that is better. Then couple that with disciplined action. Working toward the achievement of a worthy goal is rewarding. Cynics might be right, but they are seldom happy. #### Related Items [[Strategy]] [[Cynics]] [[Probability]] [[Routine]] [[Reflection]]