According to the Journal of Clinical Psychology, of the 45% of people who typically make New Year's Resolutions, only 8% are successful in achieving those resolutions. Given that low success rate, I'm sure you've also considered there must be a way to increase your odds of achieving what you want in 2015.

I'd like to suggest elevating your perspective to define an overall Vision for 2015 (and beyond). It's important to have a compelling vision, for you personally as well as for your business or organization. That way, when life and work demands pull you in multiple directions, you keep perspective.

Here are four steps to focus your vision on what matters most:

1. Clear Your Lens: Consider any setbacks or disappointments from last year that you need to let go of in order to begin anew. Can you forgive yourself, and forgive any other people who may have been involved? Bringing old resentments into the new year can stop you from spotting new opportunities because your lens is being clouded by your previous experiences.

2. Reveal Your Intentions: What core mission or purpose inspires you? What motivates you to get out of bed in the morning and keep striving for another day? Revealing your true intentions can make it easier to choose between competing ideas, requests or tasks.

3. Identify Your Blind Spots: What attitudes, behaviors, and/or habits could get in your way of fulfilling your intentions? Have you experienced challenging situations where inertia or indecisiveness led to a missed opportunity? Or maybe you did not ask for help, even though you felt completely overwhelmed? Reflect on your "blind spots" honestly and objectively, without judgment or blaming.

4. Envision Your Future: As you look back at the close of 2015, what will be your most memorable achievements? What will you have felt and experienced, and with whom? What key milestones will have helped you achieve your vision?

Defining your vision is the first step. This is the first of my "What's on Your Dashboard?" article series to help leaders like you to plan your 2015 strategy. Read more at: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/4-steps-focus-your-vision-2015-colette-ellis Read Full Post