Danish Khatana
We saw the year 2018 coming to an end with all the tough times as well as the good memories. Now is the start of an all new year filled with immense opportunities & possibilities . However, one may be able to realise these opportunities, only when one makes active efforts to grab them. Dreaming is, indeed very important and reflects the ambitions that one harbours. Dreams are not just something that you see while you are asleep, it is something that doesn’t let you sleep in the first place. As famously remarked by former President Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam, “Dream, dream till your dream comes true”. Accomplishing your dream needs action, it needs thinking in the right direction and the desire to get closer to your goal, is as important as the journey itself. It needs alongside it, a lot of planning and preparation, and resolutions, do aid in that process, indeed .
First of all, all your resolutions must be realistic in the sense, that they should be framed well within an estimate of the resources at your disposal, to accomplish the set objectives. The focus should not be on setting huge targets, but rather to work out the goals that seem well within reach. Setting time limits to all your resolutions helps a great deal in accomplishing them before the year ends. Time-bound targets give you that sense of urgency to complete them, and once you do so, it also gives you contentment, which then adds that extra bit of confidence that one needs, to keep going, all round the year .For a goal, its not only important that it is to be accomplished within a time frame and in sight of the resources available, but more importantly, a goal should be achievable first. This necessitates that all such resolutions which are an effort towards a goal, must be visualised in the context of your larger goal for life, that is a dream or an ambition that one harbours for the most part of one’s life. A New Year is just like a refreshed approach to life, rather than being a break point, completely divorced from the past. Always remember, something that does not kill you, only makes you stronger . So each step that we take in life, should be on our way to success, or should rather teach us some lessons, at least. Huge obstacles may come up in your path, but one should not let that come in the way of the larger purpose of life. Unrealised dreams are not just a blot on your past, but also a burden for your future.
If one gives his or her all, then only one will be able to accomplish, what has been due for so long . So much so that , when you look back and reflect, even if you missed out on something, you are left with no regrets, with regards to the journey which would have been remarkable, by then. Normally, the new year resolutions that we make, are often characterised by wishful thinking and impractical designs. Rather one should find meaning in what one does each day. You may be passionate & determinate, but yet you may lack that ability to contextualize and make sense of the everyday happenings of life. Making a balance becomes very important here. Anything you do or think should not contradict with your dreams and self realisation . Staying with optimistic people and in a positive environment ensures that you are on the right motivational journey, that life should be like. Motivation comes from within, while inspiration may be external. One may be inspired from someone who one interacts with , while others may not need any external source of motivation at all.
The new year resolutions also do work on the same principles . One may call it , ‘SMART’ which stands for: Specific, measurable, attainable, relevant & time bound.
So be Specific as goals clearly defined, will lead to their completion. Apart from being measurable, resolutions must be attainable , that is to be realistic. Equally important is staying relevant, because something that you do not feel connected to, you won’t be able to really accomplish it anytime soon. Last but not the least , is the importance of staying Time-bound in your goals, that is to say, resolutions without deadlines are no more than just fantasies of the mind. Furthermore, a temporal dimension does not envisage, only making resolutions at the turn of the calendar, and then as soon as the dates pass by, and the morale fades away, one finds that no real progress has been actually made towards accomplishing the goals, even in the new year. A more practical approach, thus is, to fine tune your resolutions, and keep them evolving round the year. This proactive approach will not only add the much required dynamism to your conception of New Year resolutions but will also help you out in making them more realistic and achievable in the first place.
Initiation is no doubt very important in any process, but the actual journey requires more than just goal setting, to keep us going in the right direction with the right vigour and vitality. The right frame of mind with regards to the resolutions for a new beginning, no matter how late one starts, will be instrumental and the strategic approach discussed so far, contributes in great measure to the final realisation of the resolutions. Great motivational quotes on your calendar will certainly aid in this process, of dream realisation in a progressive manner as the months go by and a New Year approaches. Now in order to bring to a close, my prescriptions for an approach for making great resolutions and ensuring their timely realisation, I would advise you all, to try to be a little more ‘SMART’ this year with the right approach and strategy for a successful journey of life ahead.
