Do you try to achieve major goals overnight, or do you make them a reality one small step at a time, one day at a time? In my study of how to make and keep New Year Resolutions – as well as in my career and business – I have discovered that most major projects, goals, dreams, and New Year Resolutions transform from spark of an idea to concrete results over a period months and years, rather than days and weeks (i.e. overnight success). If you want to achieve wonderful dreams, or build new healthy habits to replace old unhealthy habits, typically you have to run a marathon rather than a sprint.

Sometimes, of course, a sprint does work. For instance, when I quit smoking 20 years ago, I stopped cold turkey and never looked back because cigarettes made me feel awful. I had serious allergies that worsened with each puff. Those allergies probably added years to my life because they forced me to eliminate an unhealthy habit. Some folks, however, can’t simply stop smoking overnight.

Success often arrives after multiple attempts, along with professional help and other remedies. Kicking the smoking habit often is a marathon. Most of my major dreams like earning college degrees, building a journalism/political career, as well as a small business, were (and continue to be) marathons. I truly enjoy the journey and each time I reach my destination, I strive to go beyond the original, planned end-point.

My primary 2009 resolution to take small daily steps for health and happiness is another good example of running a marathon rather than a sprint. Each day, I make a conscious effort to take small daily steps toward health and happiness. I exercise, work hard to eat healthy food, log long hours on beloved creative projects, and make time for loved ones to name just a few of my priorities.

All of those small steps add up over time like money earning compound interest in the bank. I am not striving for overnight results, or immediate success. Instead, each day I take small steps toward my dreams that pay huge dividends over time. Some days I am incredibly happy to rack up wins and I make a point to celebrate those victories. Other days, I don’t live up to my expectations, goals and dreams. Rather than beat myself up, I learn my lessons, vow to do better, and move forward with my head held high.

I recently discovered a Telegraph.Co.UK article about research that investigates how long it takes to form a habit that is being reported in the European Journal of Social Psychology. According to the July 18 Telegraph Article, by Roger Dobson, “. . .The research, the first to investigate how long it takes to form a habit, has significant implications for people who want to adopt a healthy lifestyle or stick to a diet. The same team has now been funded by the Medical Research Council for more research looking at how to use habit creation in weight loss. “What we found was that it takes 66 days on average for people in our study to acquire a habit,” says Professor Jane Wardle, of University College London, who carried out the study with Dr Phillippa Lally. “It varied between individuals, but the finding is that if you do something everyday in the same situation, it will become an automatic reaction in response to those situational cues, a habit. It is the first time this has been established.””

It is an interesting article well worth a read. If you are working to build some ‘healthy habits’ into your life – habits that will promote joy, happiness, fitness, good self esteem, confidence, and an array of other positive outcomes – September, October and November are wonderful months to launch an effort. Consider the momentum you will have by January 1, 2010! Here are 25 of my own favorite 2009 ‘Daily Resolves’ for health and happiness – try them on for size, or better yet, create some of your own!

I Resolve To Blog!
I Resolve To Save!
I Resolve To Be Me!
I Resolve To Be Nice!
I Resolve To Carpe Diem!
I Resolve To Banish Doubt!
I Resolve To Dare To Dream!
I Resolve To Eat A Rainbow!
I Resolve To Give More Hugs!
I Resolve To Live Consciously!
I Resolve To Walk For A Cause!
I Resolve To Stop Procrastinating!
I Resolve To Indulge In Moderation!
I Resolve To Drink Plenty Of Water!
I Resolve To Learn To Ask For Help!
I Resolve To Use Canvas Not Plastic!
I Resolve To Keep America Beautiful!
I Resolve To Walk For Health & Happiness!
I Resolve To Remember You Are What You Eat!
I Resolve To Appreciate The Simple Things In Life!
I Resolve To Smile At Strangers I Meet Along The Way!
I Resolve To Climb Every Mountain, One Small Step At A Time!
I Resolve To Get Out Of My Comfort Zone And Try New Things!
I Resolve To Schedule Exercise, Stretch, Hydrate, Take Breaks!
I Resolve To Follow My Dreams To Their Final Destination And Beyond!

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When you make a New Year Resolution, or establish a goal, do you approach the journey as a hare or a tortoise? As you venture down the road toward your eventual destination, do you sprint, or prefer to run a marathon? Personally, I am a marathon runner when it comes to my dreams, resolutions and daily goals. Some gifted folks can sprint to the finish line with incredible, quick results. I, on the other hand, am happier going the distance one small step at a time, one day at a time, at my own tortoise pace because I finally figured out that “it really is the journey not the destination that truly is important to me”. I credit my my middle class, Midwest upbringing (and firm, wise parents) to my patience, practicality and willingness to work hard. That patience, along with persistence and passion have, over the years, enabled me to stick with my dreams long past the time when many would have given up and moved on. Call me stubborn, but that stick-to-it-ive-ness – i.e. patience -has paid big dividends on my dreams.

In the course of the past five years, as I have studied and tested what ‘works and doesn’t work’ for resolution-making-and-keeping, I have continually circled round to the notion that good, old-fashioned, common sense is enormously helpful. So much of ‘what has worked’ for me is simple and straight forward. No rocket science, or complicated formulas are needed . . . What is necessary is a dream about which you have great passion and a fierce belief that you have what it takes to succeed.

Here are 10 Common Sense Tips, that can lead to success with dreams, resolutions and daily goals:

Dare To Dream: Open your mind to the endless possibilities. Introspection and research can pay huge dividends: Discover and contemplate the ‘who, what, when, where, why, and how’ of your dream at the outset; then keep your plans simple and realistic, focus on just one life-altering dream at a time.
Decide: When you reach the ‘A-HA’ moment, that fabulous point in time when you know what you must do, make a firm decision to ‘go for it’ with everything you’ve got. No slacking, or quitting is allowed.
Define: In one concise sentence specify what you intend to achieve, how you intend to get to the finish line, and why you’re entering the race.
Develop A Plan: Dreams are huge and overwhelming. A well thought out ‘written plan’ with clear-cut, simple steps, deadlines and a timeline will enable you to proceed methodically, with confidence because you have a system – a process, a game plan that will take you from start to finish.
Do It Daily: Take one small step at a time, one day at a time, for one year. Make your passions ‘Lifetime Resolutions’ that are with you for good, not just something that you do and cross off the list!
Don’t Procrastinate: Just show up and do something every single day, especially the days when you are the least motivated. Those days are big hurdles. Each hurdle that you cross takes you closer to your destination – and that day’s work could turn out to be your best ever!
Don’t Give In To Fear: Fear and doubt are ‘dream-killers’ because they cloud your good judgment and rob you of optimism and positive thoughts. Give fear and doubt the boot by ‘getting busy’ and producing fresh results and a new-found sense of accomplishment every single day.
Don’t Get Discouraged: Progress can be painfully slow and obstacles more plentiful than victories. Carefully track tasks and milestones, in writing, so you can celebrate your wins and take credit for crossing hurdles one-by-one.
Don’t Grow Bored: Revamp and revise your plan frequently, injecting new life into each juncture of the journey. Have some fun!
Don’t Give Up: Patience, passion, persistence, and perseverance will see you through. You may have to ‘start over’ many, many times, but a key to success is being willing and committed to ‘start over’ as many times, as are necessary.

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