By Jim Madsen
By mid-February, 80 percent of us will have broken our New Year’s resolutions. This is according to research by US News & World Report.
Albert Einstein is often credited with saying, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.” Whether Einstein actually said this is irrelevant. What’s relevant is how many of us make resolutions and break them so quickly year after year.
Keeping a personal change resolution isn’t as easy as you’d think. People apply the same tactics they used in the past (if any) and fail shortly after they begin. Changing the outcome requires changing the approach.
Dr. John Kotter is the Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Leadership, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School, and widely regarded as the foremost speaker on Leadership and Change. He’s the architect of a renowned eight-step process for leading planned change in large organizations.
Since its introduction over 20 years ago, organizations began facing more increasingly turbulent, disruptive and unplanned changes than ever before. Kotter acknowledged his process could handle change, but only to a point. Addressing such rapid changes required less hierarchal-rooted processes, and greater agility, fluidity and risk taking.
To meet this challenge, he proposed organizations add a second operating system – a more agile strategy network – to complement the hierarchal structure. Kotter updated his original eight-step change process with eight “accelerators” for this added system to function when greater agility, speed and innovation is needed. These accelerators differ from his original eight steps in three ways. They are “concurrent and always at work.” They “pull in as many people as possible” to form a “volunteer army.” They “require the flexibility and agility of a network.” His accelerators also center around a “Big Opportunity.”
I’ve adapted Kotter’s eight accelerators to a common January goal for most of us, health and fitness. This could mean changing your diet, workouts… whatever. The following outlines a personal change plan to fuel and sustain your progress and increase your chance of ultimate success.
- Spark the fire.
Kotter’s first accelerator: “Create a sense of urgency around a single big opportunity.” Change or die. Organizations will often bring in experts to deliver bad news and light the fire. Gaining a sense of “do or die” is the fire that must be lit. Urgency gives you an advantage right from the start.
Whether your New Year’s resolution is internally or externally motivated, one thing will make it a reality – you have to want it. And want it to begin now. One year from today, how are you going to be fitter or healthier than you are today? What happens if you don’t start now? What will be the consequences? This is your big opportunity. It’s amazing what we can achieve when we have to do something.
- Form your inner circle.
Kotter’s second accelerator: “Build and maintain a guiding coalition.” Change is always harder than it looks. You can’t do it alone. Enthusiasm wanes, obstacles rise, and help is needed. Kotter’s second accelerator is forming a powerful guiding coalition. Approach a few family members, close friends or colleagues who not only support your change, they’ll volunteer and commit to helping you make it.
Maybe you’re adopting a new way of eating, exercise program, or both. Lifestyle changes can be challenging. You need that inner circle of people who will get what you’re trying to do. Ask them to help you stay on task: to make better food choices, ask you about that walk, or see if you hit the gym.
- Bring clarity to your vision.
Kotter’s third accelerator: “Formulate a strategic vision and develop change initiatives to capitalize on the big opportunity.” You’ve created a vision in your head, now articulate it. Make it clear and simple. Write it down. Does your inner circle understand it? Ask them to help you refine it and develop it. Your vision sets direction. This will allow a doable yet dynamic strategy to emerge to help you realize your vision.
What do you want to look like, or be like, one year from now? How might you make your goal measurable? If you want to be slimmer, how much slimmer, or what size do you want to wear? If you want to be faster, how much faster, or what race do you want to run? Whatever it is, write it down in one sentence. Make it clear and simple. Then put it on sticky notes… on your bathroom mirror, your refrigerator, your car’s dashboard. The only way of knowing your goal is on track is having it clearly stated.
- Tell your family and friends.
Kotter’s fourth accelerator: “Communicate the vision and the strategy to create buy-in and attract a growing volunteer army.” Tell the rest of your family and friends about your goal. Then tell them again. These are the people outside of your inner circle. Awareness is critical. Authenticity too. Be transparent. Successful change leaders talk the talk and walk the walk.
Bring your goal or new lifestyle up in conversation. Share it on social media. When people know what you’re doing, you’ll attract followers and more volunteers who may say, “Me too!” or “Let me help!” Turn your network into an invisible support system. Accountability is your constant companion and another great motivator.
- Watch for obstacles.
Kotter’s fifth accelerator: “Accelerate movement toward the vision and the opportunity by ensuring that the network removes barriers.” Keeping resolutions isn’t as easy as you’d think. Even with clear direction and momentum, resolutions can be blown in seconds when they meet obstacles. Self- and situational-awareness is key. Get a firm understanding of your daily surroundings relative to your personal strengths and weaknesses. Tap your inner circle. Get help eliminating your obstacles and remember not all of them can be anticipated and prevented. This is why having the right support in place and agility to creatively problem solve is critical.
For health and fitness resolutions, the navigation or elimination of obstacles and bad habits is paramount. No motivation? Make sure your network is keeping you accountable. No time to exercise in the morning? Get up earlier or make time in the evening. Can’t get to the gym? Find an online routine you can do at home or in your office. No willpower? Get the sugary foods and drinks out of your sight and fill your cabinets and drawers with healthy choices instead. Habits are hardwired, but as author Charles Duhigg says, “not destiny.” Be mindful of your cravings and cues. Insert a new routine and reprogram the bad habits.
- Celebrate big short-term wins.
Kotter’s sixth accelerator: “Celebrate visible, significant short-term wins.” There are two sides to this coin. Success motivates. Without immediate proof of progress, people quit. Understand that by making a New Year’s resolution, you’re playing the long game. Set short-term, achievable goals to keep your urgency and motivation alive.
On the flipside, we often hear, “the road to success is paved with failure.” This is a matter of perspective. When you inevitably stumble in your pursuit, don’t quit. Learn from your mistakes. Lessons learned the hard way are also short-term wins. Never stop learning. Never stop moving forward. The road to success is paved with failure that’s mixed with grit and resolve.
Since we’re talking about health and fitness, here are ways to celebrate the short-term wins without cake and ice cream. When you hit a half-milestone, treat someone in your inner circle or volunteer army to a (healthy) meal at a nice restaurant. It’s a great way to thank them for their continued support and stay on task. Here’s a few more ideas. Buy new workout shoes. Get better fitting workout clothes. Fitness wearables and apps are a great way to monitor your progress, have fun hitting goals and share your latest victory. Gaming mechanics are fun, proven motivators and recognition from a fitness community is always nice.
- Don’t stop.
Kotter’s seventh accelerator: “Never let up. Keep learning from experience. Don’t declare victory too soon.” In most sports scoring points is the objective, however, scoring once or twice doesn’t necessarily win the game. It’s the dedication and endurance to score the most points that wins. The lesson: don’t stop and raise the trophy too early. You’ll start to relax, destroy momentum, and halt further progress. Make it a priority to celebrate the short-term wins, but save the bubbly for the locker room at the end of the year.
Your inner circle will be your biggest cheerleaders. Make sure they’re your hardest coaches too–especially in October and November. Ask them to push you and keep you accountable through the end of December.
- Reflect, realize, internalize.
Kotter’s final accelerator: “Institutionalize strategic changes in the culture.” Once you see the positive changes you’ve made throughout year, also reflect on the impact they’ve made on your personal beliefs and core values. It’s a virtual certainty they’ve changed too.
Charles Duhigg writes near the end of his book, “If you believe you can change—if you make it a habit—the change becomes real.” I prefer changing “if” to “when.” When you fuel your change with a sense of urgency, an agile strategy, and the right supports, powerfully good habits can be formed.
Jim Madsen is a freelance creative director, trying Keto, and an EMBA participant in The Berlin School of Creative Leadership.
