You have something extraordinary to contribute, right? 2012 is your year, isn't it? (And if it isn't, what would it mean to you if it was?)  If you knew how to produce lasting results would you? Of course you would.  95% of those who set New Year's resolutions never complete on their promises to themselves.  

Here is my Align in Nine to Shine Formula to take you step-by-step through what to do to

• kick off congruently
• keep going with passion and 
• find your finish-line

So that you can have your most fulfilling year yet.  By following this process you will define where you have been, clarify where you are now and identify where you want to head.  The Align in Nine to Shine will provide you with an easy to follow blueprint to give you what you need to come up with your simple map to set up your year so you keep motivated to grow and to make your difference.

1. Get Present
2. Acknowledge
3. Evaluate
4. Choose
5. Check in with your Purpose and your Passion Scale
6. Decide
7. Commit
8. Get Started
9. Measurable Milestones to Completion

1. Get Present

Forever is composed of nows  ~Emily Dickinson
Arrive fully in the moment and in your body.  From a space of overwhelm and spinning out, it isn't possible to create anything that will be sustainable. Look at my earlier blog the 8 Paths of Presence for more detail.

2. Acknowledge
Take time to celebrate and acknowledge what you did and enjoyed from last year. What were the meaningful, magical and extraordinary moments?  Your clarity about where you were and what worked will assist you to find your focus in terms of where you are now and also where you'd like to be.

3. Evaluate
It's time to weigh up what worked for you and how come.  Analyse your accomplishments and note what you'd like to replicate.  Discover what you'd like to do even more of.  Now take a look at what did not work.  Consider your challenges carefully. Find the key learnings and get crystal clear about what you do not want to happen again. Spend time appreciating the value and growth that came of both the experiences you want to duplicate and also those that you don't want to repeat.  What were some of the key decisions you made in the last year that empowered you and had great results?

4. Choose

Outline decisions you would like to make, based on what worked for you in the past.  Consider, for a moment, something that at one time for you had seemed impossible and then you went on to make it happen.  This may be something major or a small win.  It is by identifying that you can imagine, dream and plan and succeed at making that real, that you will strengthen your certainty muscle.

Now write  a list of what you'd like to achieve in 2012.  Dream a wide net. Censor nothing. Have it all. Make your list abundant.  List what you would like to be, bring in, achieve, contribute.

5. Check in with your Purpose and your Passion scale

For every item on your list, calibrate against two major areas: Your Purpose and Your Passion. 

If you haven't taken time to work out your personal mission and purpose, it is really important you do so. I detail how to do this in my soon to be published book Hot Confidence: Conscious Pathways to take You From Mini Me to Magnificent.  The short version is to set aside a hour to come up with a sentence that describes your higher reason for being here and for getting out of bed in the morning. Keep it simple and true to you.  You might language something like:  I inspire love, growth and creativity in myself and others.  Once you have a sentence like this that reflects the core of who you are, measure every decision you take against it.  For it is when we go against our personal mission and purpose that life becomes tough and unsustainable. 

Once you have come up with your Personal Mission and Purpose, then measure your choices for what you would like to achieve against your purpose to check for true alignment.  Then take stock against your passion scale. Simply rank your intended course of action on a scale of one to ten out of ten, where 1= almost no passion and 10 is totally passionate, excited and driven.  You must score at least a 7 on your passion scale to ensure your choice will be sustainable. 

Lack of connection to Purpose and Passion are the major reasons for failed New Year's resolutions.  This step is crucial.

6. Decide

Having scaled your intentions and visions against your Purpose and Passion, decide which visions, dreams and goals are your priorities and list them in order.

7. Commit

Make a personal commitment to achievement.   For each of your three one year goals write seven reasons how come you must complete and achieve them. Find your reasons, seek no answers yet. Your motivation for doing this is the key factor, don't rush to how.

Give yourself time to note what some of the things you don't want to do in order to reach the finish line on each of your goals.  With a connection to your purpose, with passion and a sense of what you can contribute to others, you can move yourself to achieve anything you set your mind to.

8. Get Started

One small thing:
Once you have set an intention or a goal, you must do something toward setting it in motion.  

" Never leave the site of setting a goal without taking some action toward its attainment. You must take immediate action" Tony Robbins

You could ask yourself:  "What is the first small step I need to take in order to make this happen?"  Such as what information do you need - find it ? Who do you need to call - do it!  Do you need to get a coach, sign up for a seminar or organise a space?

One major movement:
Decide on one important resolution you will have to make to do right now in order to ensure your vision, intention and goal happens.  This might be scheduling time in your week, every week to attend to something, giving up something, moving a suburb, state or even country, it could be taking a decision.

9. Measurable Milestones to Completion

How will you recognise you're on your way?  Divide the vision into do-able chunks. Allocate time and take action.  As you complete each milestone you set yourself acknowledge, evaluate and celebrate.  Decide how you are going to recognise you've accomplished each piece along the way so that you can track your progress.  Make a healthy habit of daily, weekly and monthly tracking and  recognising your achievements.  As you complete each milestone you set yourself acknowledge, evaluate and celebrate.

Set yourself up to light your way and inspire others, simply apply the Align to Shine Nine Step Formula and savour the taste of your success and the inspiration you bring to others. The secrets to achievement are connection to your purpose and passion, consistant disciplined action and follow through - then you're on your way to taking your place amongst the 5% of people who reach or surpass their resolutions. 

Looking forward to celebrating with you at the finish line!