“The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” – Lamentations 3:22-23
It is that wonderful time of the year when we all get a fresh start and make resolutions for positive change. According to the dictionary, a resolution is a firm decision or something you are determined to accomplish. If you are like me, “resolution” may be the wrong word when describing your New Year’s aspirations. I have rarely had a resolution that was a firm decision or that I was truly determined to accomplish. It would be more accurate to call them “New Year’s maybes if I find the time.”
Perhaps you take your New Year’s resolutions seriously, investing genuine effort into their achievement. Whichever group you fall into, the reality is that before we know it, we are swept back into the rhythm and everyday routines of life. Our goals often fade into the background.
I read a great book this year that provides excellent advice on achieving goals. Atomic Habits, by James Clear, offers valuable insight on creating good habits. One concept that resonated with me is the one percent rule: if you work on getting better by just one percent each day, over time, all those one percents add up into something significant. The author sums it up by saying, “Success is the product of daily habits, not once-in-a-lifetime transformations.”
It is a simple concept, but something we often overlook. We should focus on the process and getting a little better each day instead of only focusing on the end goal. This idea parallels a quote from former University of Tennessee football coach Phil Fulmer that I remember from ‘the good ‘ol days.’ Speaking about practice, Fulmer said, “You either get a little better–or a little worse–each day, you never stay the same.” Let’s all try this new year to get a little better each day.
I’ll share another quote from author Peggy Toney Horton that hopefully can provide some extra inspiration for 2024: “Each new year, we have before us a brand new book containing 365 blank pages. Let us fill them with all the forgotten things from last year—the words we forgot to say, the love we forgot to show, and the charity we forgot to offer.”
By Wills Hipsher
Senior Property Accountant
