Happy New Year. Resolution time, the recipe for successful change!

Happy 2010 to you all!

So, it’s that time of year again. A new year, in fact decade stretches before us and traditionally we take time to reflect on the positive changes that we would like to make to life and lifestyle. Resolutions, goals, aims, outcomes, new beginnings!

Have you made any, keeping to them, anticipating success? I thought that at the start of the New Year it would be good to review some ingredients which, if in the recipe for change, will heighten success rates! Sort of like the final result looking something like the picture in the recipe book as opposed to something from another planet!

Most people when cooking actually like to have a picture to know what they are aiming at, some messages there about the importance of visualisation I think!

Those of you reading who have some knowledge of NLP may be familiar with the concept of the Well formed outcome. If so here is a review. If you are new to NLP, I hope that this will be a useful list of ingredients!

• The outcome - or goal, should be stated in the positive.
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• Check that the achievement of the outcome is actually within your control?
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• Check that you have the resources to achieve what you are wanting or that you can access them.
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• Be clear about what the achievement of this outcome will do for you? What will be better and how?
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• Think about what might stop you achieving this outcome? What, if anything has stopped you before? Are there any benefits to not achieving this? How do they compare to the benefits of achieving?!!!
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• How will you know when you have achieved this outcome? What will you see, hear, and feel ….What evidence will you use to let you know that you are achieving this outcome?
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• How will achieving this affect other areas of your life? This is known as the ecology check in NLP.
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• What is the first step you will take towards achieving the outcome or goal?


It is important to work through this list as many times as necessary in order to refine the goal, resolution or outcome until you can be confident that you have the right ingredients for change. The ingredients create the recipe for change, so be sure about what you are creating!!!!

I worked with a client last year who wanted to write a book. He worked through the questions positively and well until getting stuck at the ecology check.

Taking time out to write and renting a cottage by the sea to do this was a perfect plan until he really considered the impact on his young family. Although his wife was, in theory supportive, when he stopped to think of the real implications and extra pressure on her of being the sole bread winner and managing a young family for long periods alone, he reshaped the goal.

What had seemed, originally, an ideal plan was reshaped into something more workable that, I am pleased to say is working well with relationships all intact!!!

So, use the check list and let me know how you get on with shaping your resolutions. It really is worth taking the time to ensure the ingredients are right before starting to create a growing selection of dishes for 2010.

Have fun and enjoy creating your recipes for success!

Bridget January 2010