Seven Strategies for Highly Effective New

Year's Resolutions
Margie Warrell at www.forbes.com (31.12.12)
New Years Eve is just around the corner. ts li!ely that at least one "erson will as!
you what your resolutions are for the year ahead. #hether you li!e to $a!e the$ or
not% research has found that "eo"le who $a!e resolutions are &' ti$es $ore li!ely
to attain their goals than "eo"le who dont e("licitly $a!e resolutions. Yet as you
!now% its not so easy to !ee" your resolve as life returns to nor$al and your old
ha)its of $ind and action start testing your resolve and "ulling you away fro$ the
new ones you resolved to create.
*hange is difficult% yet as hard as it is% everyone has the a)ility to $a!e and !ee"
$eaningful changes in their life% regardless of their age% or how well worn their
ha)itual ways of engaging in the world.
ndeed theres a science to success when it co$es to achieving goals and $a!ing life
changes + whether on ,anuary &st or any other ti$e of year. -n the lin! )elow are .
strategies to hel" you $a!e the changes you want in the year ahead + including
$a!ing the right resolutions to )egin with. ho"e you will read it% )ut $ore so%
ho"e you will a""ly the$ so that /'&0 will truly )e the )est year of your life. Not
)ecause everything will go as you want% )ut )ecause you )e fir$ly at the helm of
your own life + living by design rather than by default.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2012/12/31/seven-strategies-for-highly-effective-new-years-
resolutions/
Claire Gregory - New Years Resolutions - Advanced - Reading/Vocabulary Lesson - January 2012
Before you continue with the article, take a few minutes to
discuss with a partner what you think the 7 strategies will be.
1. Know Your Why. 1or a resolution to stick% it has to )e aligned with your core
values. #e all want to loo! )etter or get richer% )ut your resolutions have to go
)eyond su"erficial desires and connect with what truly $atters $ost to you. n
other words% you have to Know your why and feel truly "assionate a)out the goals
you set for yourself. f you dont% then when the going gets tough or your alar$ goes
off at 230'a$% you wont have the resolve to stic! to your "lan. *onnect your
resolutions to those things that give you a dee"er sense of "ur"ose and align with
your core values. #hen your resolutions connect to a dee"er sense of "ur"ose% it
compels you not to think small or play safe% )ut to dig deep and stay the course when
the going gets tough + no $atter how $any hurdles.
2. Be Specific. Resolutions to 4eat )etter% get fitter% )e ha""ier% rela( $ore or have
)etter life )alance are doo$ed for failure )ecause they lac! s"ecificity. 5he $ore
s"ecific you are% the $ore li!ely you will )e a)le to succeed. 6escri)e your goals
and resolutions in ways that allow you to trac! your "rogress and $easure your
success. 1or instance% if you want to )uild a )etter relationshi" with your "artner%
schedule at least one date night "er $onth% or% as ve done with $y hus)and% one
wee!end away + sans !ids + "er year. 7i!ewise if youre co$$itted to a )etter
health and e(ercise regime% schedule how $any wor!outs youll fit into each wee!.
3. Dont Just Think It, Ink it! 8 Stanford 9niversity study found that when "eo"le
wrote down their goal% it increased the "ro)a)ility of the$ achieving it )y over
.':. ;ut dont just write down the s"ecific goal% write down how you will feel
when youve acco$"lished it. #hen you have finished "enning your desires% jot
down on stic!y "ads the words that ins"ire you $ost a)out your goal and "ut the$
around your ho$e<office to re$ind you of why you are co$$itted to doing what it
ta!es to )ring your goal into reality.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2012/12/31/seven-strategies-for-highly-effective-new-years-
resolutions/
4. Design Your Environment. Never underesti$ate the "ower of your environ$ent
to su""ort or sabotage your success. 6esign your environ$ent so that its hard N-5
Claire Gregory - New Years Resolutions - Advanced - Reading/Vocabulary Lesson - January 2012
to do what you resolved. *reate a "rogress chart% recruit a cheer squad a$ong your
fa$ily and friends% find so$eone to hold you accountable% hire a trainer% join a
grou"% create a )log. 7i!ewise% if there are "eo"le or things in your life that "ull you
down or off track% address the$ directly and set whatever )oundaries you !now you
will need up front.
5. Narrow Your Efforts. 5rying to do too $any things at once can $a!e you so
unfocused that you just )ounce around li!e 5igger on Red ;ull% not =uite sure which
direction you are going. Set yourself u" for success and start with ,9S5 -NE
>8,-R UNDERTAKING co$e ,anuary &st. 5hen )rea! that goal down into s$all
)ite si?e ste"s. S$all ste"s% strong start@
6. Focus On The Process. ts easy to get caught u" in an initial wave of enthusias$%
only to co$e crashing down when your initial efforts dont "roduce i$$ediate and
a$a?ing results. So focus on the "rocess itself% and develo" greater competence of
the actual activity% ha)it or s!ill you want to ac=uire. 1or instance% if you want to
)eco$e $ore fit% focus on )eing a)le to jog a little )it further every ti$e you go for a
wal!% rather than )eing a)le to run 2 $iles within a wee!. PERSISTENCE 87#8YS
A8YS -11.
7. Forgive Your Failures. Your setbacks and failures will not define your success in
the year ahead or any year. H-# Y-9 RESA-N6 #77. f you ha""en to $ess u"%
lose your resolve% "ress the snoo?e )utton or revert to a fa$iliar wellB"racticed
)ehavior% dont beat up on yourself. -!ay% so you didnt get to the gy$ li!e youd
"lanned. How a)out 2 $inutes of stretchingC #hen it co$es to slipping up and
tripping up% you are in good co$"any. t ha""ens to everyone. ,ust dont let your
mishaps% set)ac!s and failures $ean $ore than they do. Reflect on the lessons they
hold% $a!e adjust$ents accordingly% then ta" your inner ,ohn #ayne and get back
in the saddle. 7ife rewards those who wor! at it.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/margiewarrell/2012/12/31/seven-strategies-for-highly-effective-new-years-
resolutions/
Claire Gregory - New Years Resolutions - Advanced - Reading/Vocabulary Lesson - January 2012
New Years Resolutions Reading and Vocabulary
Lesson
1) Pre-Reading conversation questions:
In many countries the beginning of a new year is a time for self-reflection and
planning ahead, and so not surprisingly many people make New Years
Resolutions.
Is this common in your country?
What are some examples of resolutions people make?
Do you generally, or have you ever made New Years Resolutions?
Did you make any this year?
Do you usually keep your resolutions or break them?
Why do you think people have trouble keeping their resolutions?
2) Youre going to read an article from www.forbes.com called Seven Strategies for
Highly Effective New Year's Resolutions. ;efore you read the article loo! at task
A on the voca)ulary wor!sheet.
0D Read the first "art of the article then discuss the =uestion )elow it.
ED Read the rest of the article and $a!e )rief notes for each strategy &B.. N-5ES@
Not full sentences@ 5ry to use your own words where "ossi)le% not just the words
fro$ the te(t.
2D *o$"are your notes with a "artner. 8re they si$ilar or very differentC #hose
notes have ca"tured the $ain ideas )etterC
FD 6iscuss with your "artner B what did you thin! of the articleC 9sefulCnterestingC
6id it ins"ire you to $a!e any New Years ResolutionsC
6) 6o task B on the voca)ulary sheet and then task C as a follow u".
.D #rite down a few New Years Resolutions. 5hey can )e a)out your life in general
)ut also try to write a cou"le related to your English studies. Re$e$)er to thin!
a)out the . strategies )efore you write the$ down.
GD 6o task D on the voca)ulary sheet.
Vocabulary tasks
Claire Gregory - New Years Resolutions - Advanced - Reading/Vocabulary Lesson - January 2012
A) #ith a "artner loo! at the list of voca)ulary and circle any you are confident you
!now. 5hen co$"are with another grou" and hel" each other with definitions.
8fter wor!ing together how $any words are still un!nown or unclearC
Verbs Nouns Other
attain regime well worn
resolve* mishap at the helm
stick* cheer squad by design
align undertaking by default
compel competence sans
jot down persistence up front
hold sb.
accountable
setback
sabotage*
B) #hat do these "hrases fro$ the te(t $eanC f youre not sure% can you guess
fro$ the conte(tC *o$"are with your "artner.
think small off track
play (it) safe dont beat up on yourself*
dig deep get back in the saddle
stay the course slip up
Claire Gregory - New Years Resolutions - Advanced - Reading/Vocabulary Lesson - January 2012
when the going gets tough trip up
C) Vocabulary practice - conversation questions
Do you tend to play it safe in life or do you like taking risks?
Tell me about a time when you had to really dig deep to get something done.
What do you usually do when the going gets tough?
Do you feel youre off track at the moment or on the right path?
Describe a time when you had to get back in the saddle.
Do you tend to beat yourself up when you slip up?
Why is it important to think big? Do you tend to think big?
D) Vocabulary building: word families - synonyms - antonyms
#or! with a "artner to choose 0BE ver)s or nouns fro$ the list in tas! 8.
;uild on the word using your fantastic voca)ulary !nowledge... or a dictionary... or
google@@@ Youre loo!ing for other for$s of the word or synony$s or antony$s.
eg. sabotage
Word forms: sa)otage HvD sa)otage HnD sa)oteur Hn. "ersonD
synonyms: under$ine<destroy<da$age<su)vert<wrec!<vandali?e HvD
antonym: assist<aid<hel" HvD
Claire Gregory - New Years Resolutions - Advanced - Reading/Vocabulary Lesson - January 2012
Claire Gregory - New Years Resolutions - Advanced - Reading/Vocabulary Lesson - January 2012