Resolutions and Revolutions
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jean:We all have lives filled with stories. Their stories make us who we are and they are all important. Welcome to Epic Stories. I'm your host, Jean Tillery, and I have something special to talk about today.
jean:By a show of hands, how many people made New Year's resolutions this year? Okay. I know.
jean:I can't actually see your hands, but I do know that there are some of you out there. In fact, a YouGov poll indicated that in 2023, 37% of Americans said that they had a goal or a resolution that they wanted to achieve, and 87% of those people said that they were very likely or somewhat likely to keep it throughout the year. So you're in good company. But it is February 1st. How many of you have failed?
jean:You are in good company too. Statistics show that in an average year, 80% of resolutions are forgotten by February. Personally, I have always been a fan of self improvement, and I made New Year's resolutions most of my life. Yet, I'm disappointed in how often I failed and how little I actually accomplished. Did you know that, statistically, less than 8% of the people who make resolutions stick to them for the entire year?
jean:Why is there such a dismal success rate? There are many reasons, but I think they can be classified into 5 areas. Number 1, they are emotional and not really thought through. I mean, think about it. People make resolutions at the most stressful, most unhealthy time of the year.
jean:We just went through November December spending too much money, eating too much sugar, not getting enough sleep or exercise. I wouldn't think that that's the best time to make life altering decisions. Number 2, they lean heavily towards money, weight, and health. Which are great, don't get me wrong, but there are many other areas of our lives that could and should be addressed, areas like emotions, character, knowledge, and legacy. Number 3, there's no accountability and no strategic plan.
jean:New Year's resolutions are generally not made with a plan for implementation. That's the number one reason why most of them are forgotten by February. And number 4, they're too influenced by society's expectations. Quite often, the resolutions we make are unrealistic goals for the average person. Now don't get me wrong.
jean:I believe that anyone can achieve anything that they put their mind to and that they will do the work for. But we won't always do the work for something that we don't really want. And last, and what I think is the most important is number 5, most people's resolutions are superficial. Meaning, they seldom get down to the level of what is in their heart, what is their passion, or their calling. So you see, it isn't really our fault.
jean:The whole concept of making resolutions sets us up for failure. But what happens if you truly want to have a better life this year? I have a solution. In 2009, I stumbled upon the dream manager program. It was developed by a business consultant named Matthew Kelly for corporations to use to increase employee engagement, and it's been successful in companies of all different sizes and all different industries.
jean:I was so impressed by the the beauty and the simplicity of the dream manager concept that I implemented it into my own life, and then I shared it with a group of friends. And I am not exaggerating when I say that this program changed everything. So much so that I contacted Floyd Consulting, and I told them that I wasn't really interested in working in a corporate position. But having a business that helps my customers live better lives through their food, I knew that they could use the dream manager program as another tool to become the best versions of themselves. I asked if I could become a certified in order to teach them, so that's what I did.
jean:And now I'm about to start a revolution. You see, we live in a world that is continually telling us to settle, to conform, and to compromise. We go through our lives doing little more than sleepwalking. We work at jobs we don't like for 40 hours a week or more, only to get a 2 week vacation that we can barely afford. We scrimp and we save to buy more stuff that doesn't bring us joy.
jean:We are sick, we are depressed, and we are struggling, all of us in one way or another, even down to the youngest kids. We collect self help books. We join new gyms, start more programs, attend more trainings, and yet we are at best standing still, and at worst, moving backwards. We have become disengaged in our work, in our communities, our families, and even in our own lives. A new year has started, and I believe that there is more.
jean:I believe that we can do more. We can be more, accomplish more. We can live more, love more, encourage more, and grow more. The definition of revolution is a monumentous and transformative shift often characterized by upheaval and the replacement of an established system or practice with a new one. I believe that it will take a revolution to teach us to dream again, and I am starting that dream revolution today.
jean:By the end of 2024, I want to have 1,000,000 dreams identified, written down, and actions being taken to start fulfilling them. Dreams are not merely fleeting images that we see when we sleep. The dreams we have are what makes us unique. They are part of who we are, who we were created to be. Our dreams keep us engaged, inspired, and motivated, but it isn't just the dreaming that is important.
jean:It is in the activating and fulfilling those dreams, and that is where I come in. As a dream manager, I am here to guide and support you in the pursuit of your dreams. So I challenge you to make a list of a 100 dreams. Yes. 100.
jean:Big, small, quick and easy, or longer and more detailed. Some may be short term, some very long term, but all of them, each and every one are important. To help guide you through the process, I will be having what I call dream storms throughout the year. During these events, I will walk you through the different categories of dreams and help get you started on your list as well as show you how and why the dream manager program works. The dream revolution starts now, and I want you to be a part of it.
jean:Text the word dream to 804 251-3939 to learn more about how to be a part of the revolution and get the scheduled dates for the dream storms. Why am I doing this? Because I think we should all be dreaming. Kids, high school seniors getting ready to graduate, moms, dads, employers, counselors, clergy, and coaches. In the summer of 2,001, I fulfilled one of the dreams that I put on my very first dream list.
jean:I traveled 8,181 miles across the country. I visited 21 states over 5 and a half weeks all by myself, and I fulfilled another dream by writing a book about that trip. Come back for next week's episode and learn more about the trip and about the book, and join me. Let's get dreaming. Thanks for hanging out with me.
jean:If today's episode struck a chord with you and you wanna spread the love, please share using the hashtag epic living podcast, and leave a comment on my Facebook page. Head over to my site, epic living with gene.com to learn more about what it means to live epic. And while you're there, download a free guide, 7 ways to start living epic, and it will help you take your first step. If you wanna learn more about my dream manager program or just wanna chat about what Epic might look like in your life, reach out to me and let's set up a call. See you next time.
jean:I hope you go out and live Epic today and every day. And remember, it's all about the story.
