The NASPP Blog

It’s Thanksgiving week and the holiday season is already in full swing (I actually consider the start of the holiday season to be November 1st, the day Starbucks switches over to their festive red holiday cups.) In fact, we’ve been very busy at the NASPP preparing for 2015 and we’ve decided to have some fun in documenting some of our goals for next year (hint: the “fun” will be revealed at a future date). We’re inviting members to join us in doing the same.

Which of our members has a goal to play tennis twice a week in 2015? Which one wants to step up their participation in our Question of the Week contest? Can you guess which member runs a farm when they aren’t contributing to our Global Stock Plans portal? You’ll find out soon enough, we’ve got some of our members on the record (via short audio clips)…sharing what they want most in 2015 — both professionally and personally. The folks I’ve talked to so far have been full of great goals and fun ideas.

It gets better! You can do the same! If you’re interested in recording your 2015 resolutions (or a portion of them) in a one-minute or less clip, send an email to: jnamazi@naspp.com. It takes just 5-10 minutes on the phone to get it done. And, your audio clip and photo will be featured on our web site during the holiday season.

Did you know that an estimated 40% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions? That’s more than watch the Superbowl (that event attracts an audience of about one-third of Americans). There are many estimates out there as to the actual percentage of resolutions that are achieved each year; one reported that only 8% of resolutions are actually achieved. I know we brilliant NASPP members can do better than that – we are a motivated bunch. Just in case you’re a doubter, I’m going to offer some reasons why resolutions aren’t achieved, and how to overcome them.

It’s Too Hard

Does your list for 2015 look something like a long bucket list of many amazing things that you want to accomplish? Perhaps you’ve got too much on the list. Many experts agree that the simpler you keep your resolutions, the more likely you are to achieve them. You don’t have to do everything at once!

It’s Not Defined

Some of the most popular year-to-year resolutions include losing weight, becoming healthier and spending more time with family. Those are all GREAT objectives. But, in their present form they are also vague, which makes it harder to know if you’ve actually succeeded in reaching a goal. When thinking about what you’d like to accomplish, put a measurement factor to it, and think about how you are going to achieve it! Do you want to spend more time with family? Maybe that translates to spending at least 2 hours a week engaged in an outdoor activity. You get the picture.

What Did I Resolve Again?

Many people write down their resolutions and then put them away somewhere, only to be forgotten. If you take a little time to create some reminders – visuals, sticky notes on your computer, or something that will be in front of you daily, you’ll be more likely to stay engaged with your goal. You’re also more likely to follow through on something if you declare it publicly, in front of others (hence the option to put some of your goals out to the NASPP population).

I’m sure this Thanksgiving week we can all find many things to be grateful for in 2014. I’d really love to hear from you about what you’re excited about for 2015. We still have a few spots open for brave members to record their 2015 goals, so if you want to participate please send me a note!

Happy Thanksgiving and wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season.

-Jennifer