We are still in the first week of the New Year and some of us already have broken our resolutions! We do not lack good intentions, at least in most cases. Frankly, most of us struggle to make the right promises that are possible to keep.

Here are a few tips that may help you make the right promises in 2005:

1) Only make a promise to yourself or others once you can design a plan how it will be achieved.

It is tempting to address the ideal that we want to become and overlook the practicalities of getting there. For instance, the two most common resolutions that individuals make involve diet and exercise. It is so easy to say, ?I am going to exercise every day and lose 25 pounds.? But where in your busy schedule will you fit that daily exercise? Can you really block out lunch meetings every day, or perhaps early morning sales calls, in order to jog around the park or head to the gym?

The same challenge presents itself to organizations. Leaders often commit their enterprise to lofty goals, but fail to make the operations changes that would make those promises attainable.

2) On the way up the stairwell, don?t ignore the steps.

Nothing motivates our efforts toward success more than success itself. For that reason, set for yourself achievable victories. Break down your ?resolution? to a series of steps, each of which will move you progressively toward your ultimate goal. If you want to turn around your finances, for instance, set monthly or quarterly targets that can be reached with effort, but without excessive burden. Though we can upon occasion make an extraordinary sacrifice, the path of sacrifice is not sustainable. How much better to turn your victories into an occasion for celebration!

3) When we stumble, it only moves us forward more quickly (African proverb).

Turn your mistakes into opportunities for invention. That is how Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos keeps his company on a creative edge. Bezos says that he reviews the Amazon site every Saturday and lists the 10 things that are ?wrong,? and that sets his agenda for Monday morning. ?Perfect people? are boring...and delude themselves about their imperfections.

4) Don?t turn your companions on the journey into obstacles...or the destination.

There is only one person you can hold accountable for your promises: YOU. Take ownership of your decisions. It is easy to blame our work colleagues, friends and family as obstacles. More dangerous still is the tendency to turn a romantic relationship into a life destination. It is a sure set-up for disaster. Look for loving companions on the journey, but don?t make them your destination.

I wish all good things for you in 2005!

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