It’s that time of the year. We make resolutions to improve ourselves. We self-assess to find weak spots. We want to be better, stronger. We hope to be kinder, friendlier. Or, at least a little lighter.
January may be cold and dark; it’s also a time for renewal. It’s a time to gain ground. The possibilities abound for new choices. I always hear about continuous improvement. CEOs stress this again and again. January puts that front and center — for our organizations and our lives.
We could forget our good intentions. We might slide into old habits. Our resolutions often fall away quickly. The potential, however, is always exhilarating. Turning change into routine can happen. We know that it’s not easy. But it is always worth trying.
This year, I’m setting up reminders — a calendar alert on my phone. This should make it stick longer. I hope my resolution becomes habit.
One week in, I’m usually good. Two weeks in, I start slipping. But the alerts will keep coming. I hope the reminder isn’t annoying. I hope to beat the odds. But if I don’t, don’t worry — there’s always next year (Cleveland joke).
I will keep trying to change. But I need to remind myself: January is one month of 12. Resolutions can be made all year. Continuous improvement is like it sounds. It’s continual, constant and always present. Progressive, smart companies work on themselves. Progressive, smart people do the same.
It’s that time of the year. But that time shouldn’t be limited. Change is not just for January. Improvement is always worth our time, especially when it betters the world.
This month’s Uniquely is with recent Columbus transplant Larry Smith who created Six-Word Memoirs® a decade ago. In honor of his national movement that is almost like an edgier version of “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” I wrote most of my editor’s note in six word phrases. It wasn’t easy, but as I just wrote, easy is not always best. And like New Year’s resolutions, it was worth trying.
