Do you recall this Monster.com ad that debuted during the 1999 Super Bowl?

I love this ad! The humor lies in the absurdity — the contradiction. Ten year olds don’t aspire to file and climb their way up to middle management. Quite the opposite! Most kids that age have this infectious idealism. They want to be astronauts, generals, President of the United States, sports heroes. They want to change the world.

What happens as kids reach adulthood?

Unfortunately for many, as they grow up, life slowly starts to beat them down until they end up settling for something far less.

Author Todd Henry, in his captivating book, Die Empty, writes: “No one charts a course for mediocrity, yet it’s still a destination of choice, chosen in small, seemingly inconsequential decisions over time.”

Did you notice the last image in the Monster.com ad? It says, “What did you want to be?” In other words, what dream, goal or aspiration did you have at one time that you have given up on?

The Problem with New Year’s Resolutions

With the Christmas holiday just a few weeks away, many of us, filled with anticipation of the fresh start of the new year, will set big, bold resolutions for our health, relationships, careers and our faith.

But for most people, by the beginning of February, those big goals — those plans to make 2016 the best year ever — will have worn off like a Florida sun tan in a northern Michigan winter.

Consider these statistics from the University of Scranton:
> 40% of people abandon their resolutions before reaching the month of February.
> The average person makes the same New Year’s Resolution ten times without success.
> Since the biggest focus of New Year’s Resolutions is weight loss and health, consider this: Only 5% of those who lose weight on a diet keep it off—95% regain it, and a significant percentage gain back even more.

What’s wrong here?

Why do so many dreams and goals fall apart so quickly? What keeps so many capable people from living out the best versions of themselves? More importantly, what can we do differently? What are some critical attitudes, qualities, and behavior patterns that will enable you to make the coming year, if not your best year ever, at least one you can look back upon with deep satisfaction?

In my upcoming posts, I plan to share some powerful insights from a wide range of authors, coaches and other influential people who will shed light on living well. Stay tuned!

Think back to when you were the age of those kids in the Monster.com ad. What did you want to be when you grew up? To what extent have you lived out your dreams? Where have you fallen short? I’d love to hear from you.