New Year's resolution time is here--that annual ritual most studies (and cynics) say is destined for failure within two to three weeks. But does that mean don,t bother? Our intentions are noble--the start of each year, (and each season) provides an opportunity for a new beginning.

 

As an organizing and productivity expert, I've noticed one main distinction between people who succeed in transformation and those who get derailed boils down to a single behavior: Reflection.

         We are living in such an interesting time, where everyone is in the midst of some form of reinvention, in a world in which it seems all of the rules have changed.  In pursuit of new ways of making a living, managing our finances, running our businesses and operating in a more socially responsible way, it is easy to feel defeated. It can seem that each time you come up with a solution, there’s a new obstacle in your way. Like a fighter in the ring, how many times can a person get knocked down?  Yet, we know we have to have to get back up, so let’s take this opportunity to reflect on how to fortify our powers of determination.

 

            From a distance, you recognize determined people by their achievements. But if you are lucky enough to be close to a determined person, you know that each achievement is made up of a million different tiny steps. Determined people....

            As with all other attachments, the key to uncovering the original value of your habit is to begin by tracing it back to its roots and discovering when and why you first acquired it. Take a few moments to ponder the point of time when your habit developed..

            Use the following questions to get at the root of your bad habit: How long have I had this habit? What were the circumstances in my life when I started this habit? Why did I acquire it? Why did it make sense then? Are those circumstances the same in my life right now? Who else in my life shares this habit?

While it is helpful to pinpoint when you started the habit as you think about the past, don’t worry if that particular point in time seems a little vague. Sometimes habits start when we are so young, we aren’t really....

If you frequently fall victim to procrastination, pay attention to your patterns.       

Do you procrastinate on everything or only on some things? Some people procrastinate primarily on big projects—others tend to avoid the small, boring, or annoying tasks. The worst part about procrastination is how much time we waste wandering on meaningless tasks and doing anything to avoid the dreaded....