It's a new decade . . . a time for renewal . . . for re-dedication to your personal development.

You probably already have some ideas about things you'd like to improve in your life, and we've got 2 simple tips to help them come true.

Tip # 1 - Allow imperfection <---(that's what you used to call failure)

The single-largest reason people fail to complete their resolutions is that they fall off the wagon and never get back on, all because they no longer have a perfect track record.

Pardon our language, but screw perfection!  It never existed anyway, and the whole idea of it has been the ruin of great accomplishments and ideas -- ideas full of excellence, accomplishments full of progress -- trashed because they're "not perfect."

Give yourself permission right now to mess up.  Smile (laugh, even) and know that you will mess up, and be OK with that!  Then, when you do, smile again (laugh even more) and then keep going!  Progress and excellence are now in your hands.  Simple, right?

Classic example of a perfectionistic thought, "But I didn't start on Jan. 1, so forget about it."  Chuck that thought!  Start now.

Tip # 2 - Make a plan <---(that's what you used to call a resolution)

A resolution is a mental promise to yourself.  You and I both know that thoughts, which comprise all mental promises, are flimsy things.  Why go into this with flimsy promises?

Make a plan instead.  What's the difference, you ask?  There are 3 differences:

a) A plan is in your calendar - manageable steps of progress, positioned in the time-line of your calendar, ready for you to take action one step at a time

b) A plan has milestone goals - on that same calendar, you have placed reminders to track progress and evaluate how things are going (remember, progress is all that matters!  Excellence is yours!)

c) A plan has rewards associated with actions - whether you reward every step of action, or you reward mini-milestones along the way, be sure to write down some fun and easy rewards that you really look forward to earning.  Why not get more and more excited, the closer you get to completing milestones along your plan!

With these 2 simple tips your (excellent) New Year's resolutions (plans) are sure to succeed!

Discussion ideas for the comments section below:  Have you ever let imperfection or "failure" make you quit in the past?  Do you have plans to do things differently this year?