Hi folks,
It’s now 2018, and with the change in calendars come all sorts of new year’s resolutions.
According to one set of data, only 9.2% of people felt they were successful in achieving their resolution last year. Which isn’t all that surprising, given that people in general stink at setting goals. There’s all sorts of advice on how to set a good goal – make them SMART, create an action plan. And while such approaches can help, we’re all susceptible to external forces thwarting our success. Even those at the top of an organization are more dependent upon luck than skill for their success. One 2015 study of CEOs says more than 70% of their impact on a company can be attributed to chance, and another 2014 study shows that most dismissals of CEOs are due to external industry or market factors.
If the leaders of an organization are so dependent on luck, what hope is there for the rest of us to guide our own future? An answer ironically comes from one of the most accomplished individuals in American history – Thomas Jefferson.
How can Thomas Jefferson – an amazingly gifted and accomplished man born to power and wealth – tell us anything about how to deal with the frustrations of external forces? After all, his resume includes governor of Virginia, secretary of state, vice president, and president of the United States! Did he ever fail? Well, yes and tragically, but that’s not the point. The point is to look at how he wanted to be remembered after death:
By his own decree, the only accomplishments on his tombstone are the creative endeavors he pursued and accomplished, not the lofty titles and positions that he knew were not accomplishments of his own making. He prioritized what he did, not what he was.
There’s wisdom in his choice. External factors may occasionally frustrate us, but the objectives most out of our control are often the ones that matter least. The most meaningful accomplishments can be the ones for which we are most directly responsible – ones where we can claim “I made the world a better place” rather than “I was something.” And that’s an opportunity each of us has every day, both in and out of work.
So while we all do our annual dance of making resolutions (and developing annual performance plans), we have the chance to prioritize the meaningful. Those of us in the public sector have already committed ourselves to a positive impact that serves the greater good and outlives all of us. Let’s make that commitment shine through in all our resolutions.
Jefferson would be proud.
Rex