The 92% Failure Rate of New Year’s Resolutions

Statistics tell us that more that 55% of small businesses fail in the first 5 years of doing business. Also more than 50% of New Year’s resolutions are abandoned by the end of February, less that 8% maintain their New Year’s resolutions for the whole year. Another often repeated statistic is that more than 50% of marriages fail. The interesting thing to me is that I most often hear these statistics from people who have failed or are afraid to try. Whether the original purpose or not, statistics can be depressing and disheartening.

“The little guy can’t get ahead.”

“The taxes were so high I went out of business.”

“I couldn’t get enough capital funding to keep my business going.”

“The wealth gap is so big in America you have to know someone or have money to make money.”

“I know I’m deeply in debt but you only live once so you may as well have some fun and (go on that vacation, buy that new car, live a little.)”

“You may as well buy that lottery ticket. Someone’s going to win. It could be you.”

We have so many reasons to give up.

There are so many examples of things that didn’t work. And then we go and buy a lottery ticket where 1 in 14 million hit the jackpot. What?

Here’s the thing. There are a lot of reasons to fail and everybody fails at something in their life. Don’t let that stop you from trying.

At the end of your life do you want to look back and see that you avoided failures or do you want to see that you gave it your best, you tried your hardest and you succeeded at some things?

I’ve failed at plenty of things in my life, I’ve even given up on some things, but that doesn’t define me. I’m not going to let that get me down. I’m going to get back up and try again. And when I fail I’m going to own it. I’m not going to pretend it was predestined to happen and it was beyond my control. I’m going to get up, learn from my mistakes and try again.

My goals fall right square in the middle of the list of the top ten New Year’s resolutions people make and don’t keep. I’m not intimidated by that. I’m going to give it my best and I’m not going to give up.

Here goes:

• Grow the creativity and quality of our business services
• Let our customers know they are the most important thing to us and their success is our top priority
• Exercise more and lose weight
• Get out of debt (Give Sallie Mae her eviction notice)
• Bless as many people as possible with my resources

What about you? What will you do in 2014?

A wise man said if you always hit your goals, your goals aren’t high enough. That puts a different perspective on failure now doesn’t it?