Here’s the New Year’s message I got from The Grasshopper: “What you don’t want happens in the absence of what you do want.”

I gave up making resolutions years ago but didn’t stop noticing how progress towards something is made.

Seems many of us are pretty fuzzy when it comes to what we “do want” and totally clear on what we don’t. It’s most productive to reverse that practice.

I remember hearing the following from the good Franciscan Nuns growing up: “Idleness is the devil’s work.” I’ve come to view that adage as “what we don’t want” filling the void left by the absence of what we do want.

It’s my experience that making a list of what we do want is exponentially more valuable than a list of resolutions. Resolutions have negativity bound to them; what you do want is more like an attractive enticement dangling in front of you spurring you on.

You can set all the goals you want and formulate your step-by-step plans but if they lack the juice of “do want,” you’ll wind up in the land of “don’t want” better known in some circles as “Up Shit’s Creek.” (Sorry, sisters).

I am becoming a fan of picture boards. Pinterest is the online version of this practice. Make a picture board of your “do wants.” Don’t put peripheral desires on there, only the juicy stuff. Make sure you get to see it multiple times a day and imbue your consciousness with your “DOs.”

This will have more of an effect on you than a tedious, 7-step plan that you’ll abandon before you get to step 3.

Prioritize your list of DOs so that you only have the Top 3 saturating your awareness on a daily basis. Once a DO has been accomplished, move another into the Top 3.

What you become more aware of, you become. Become more aware of what you do want and watch your resolve kick in without a resolution.

All the best,

John