How Useful Are New Year’s Resolutions?

Why do we make resolutions every New Year? Why wait until January 1st to set ourselves, often unrealistic, goals? Most studies show that the majority of people fail to keep their resolutions, so what is the point of setting such unobtainable targets? Losing weight, doing more exercise, giving up smoking, eating less chocolate, going out more, staying in more… all examples of the aims most of us have resolved to conquer at the turn of the year. In discussing New Year’s resolutions as a team at our company, a translation agency in London, staff came up with some excellent ideas – not only on a personal level, but on a company wide scale as well.Instead of giving something up, why not try taking up a new skill? Try learning a new craft, musical instrument or perhaps a new language. In the long run these could all add to our personal and professional development.  In learning a new language we broaden our horizons, and this could lead to new possibilities for travel or even employment. As a company we have resolved to continue to be client focussed and to build on our reputation as a reliable language service provider. We will continue our pursuit to keep up to date with the language industry, new developments in technology, and the status of languages so as to adapt our translation services as required.In turn each staff member will follow their own career development plan; channelling their energies into the things they are good at- old and new. With the beginning of a New Year comes new enthusiasm and positivity to take on more responsibility and to contribute more creatively to the success of the company.Everyone has their own personal goals, but in setting ourselves targets we should be realistic: feasibly what can we achieve, what are we capable of doing, what would improve not only our own lives, but also the lives of those around us? Or perhaps we should, as one colleague said, resolve “to just continue being awesome!”?