Making a Difference by Leaping into 2024

A New Year can inspire a commitment to make change. For example, an ethical investor’s New Years resolutions might include aiming to make more of a difference in 2024 by proudly and loudly advocating for ethical investment, starting by sending friends a link to this 1 minute video ‘Oblivian’ from the charity Make My Money Matter, starring Oblivia Coalmine (Olivia Coleman). If you haven’t already resolved to do this, how about accepting my challenge do this in February (and don’t forget to include a link to www.moneymatters.co.nz).

Commentator Mark Larson maintains “We expect too much from January and not enough from February”. Reflecting upon Mark’s advice, another commentator Austin Kleon, who I’m a big fan of and paid subscriber to, says: “Now I think of February as an opportunity. Only 28 days in this month. A good month for a 28-day challenge. (Or, if it’s a leap year, a 29-day challenge!) A good month for something small, every day. A good month to close the gap between what we are and what we want to be. A good month to get off my ass and do something productive with my despair.”

The image that accompanies this blog is from Austin’s calendar for February. It seems an apt image as research shows that 38.5% of American adults make New Year's resolutions. However, 23% quit their resolutions in the first week and 64% after the first month. Only 9% actually achieve their resolutions. According to Strava, a Running and Cycling tracking app, most people quit their resolutions on the second Friday of January, which they aptly named “Quitters Day”.

Of course, financial wellbeing and climate health aren’t top of most people’s resolutions. Health-related topics are the most common New Year’s resolutions among all genders. Exercising more, eating healthier, and losing weight are the top three New Year’s resolutions overall.

Although New Years resolutions have somewhat of a bad rap, they do provide an opportunity to reflect and set intentions on how you want to use your time and what you want to focus on. Research highlights the value of reflecting on your life purpose and principles, creating goals that push you a little beyond where you would naturally go, and creating a plan with accountability.

A resolution, whether made at New Year, the beginning of a month or at any other time, can be viewed as a commitment you make to yourself to change something in your life. Dr Google offers plenty of guidance on life planning and goal setting (and as certified life coach I can too!) In researching this blog, I came across this example, with the promising title: ‘How to Find Your Purpose in Life: The Definitive Guide’.  I appreciate the point made in the blog that “you can find purpose in changing the world in some way or form” –  a subject included in my PhD research and in my blog ‘A Question of Purpose’.  Professor Chellie Spiller has also written extensively about purpose including these blogs Becoming your Purpose and Calling Purpose to You.

As someone who is passionate about changing the world for the better I was excited to come across a new guide created by the Inner Development Goals (IDGs) initiative. I have previously written about the IDGs in this blog. In summary, the IDGs are a global initiative aiming to further action towards achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and a vision of shared prosperity in a sustainable world – a world where all people can live productive, vibrant and peaceful lives on a healthy planet.

Titled ‘Closing the Books with IDGs’ the guide invites readers to “reflect on the past year and set your intentions for the year to come with the help of the Inner Development Goals framework. By Closing the Books, we hope you will gain some new perspectives and insights about yourself. By becoming more aware you can choose what you wish to bring with you into the year to come and give more energy to – as well as what you wish to leave behind.”

The Guide begins by profiling the five dimensions of the IDG framework, as well as the 23 skills, qualities and capacities that are currently part of these dimensions and are believed to contribute in helping us lead more purposeful, sustainable and productive lives.

Drawing upon the concept of the Wheel of Life (often used in personal goal setting and life coaching) the guide provides The Wheel of Inner Development Goals and asks: How much have I lived and practised the five IDG dimensions this past year?

I recommend that you give yourself a score for each IDG, with 10 = lived and practised this a lot, 0 = not at all. Then, looking to the year ahead, set a target score for each IDG of where you would like to be this time next year.  

If you would like to see the full “Closing the Books” guide, email me at [email protected] and I’d be happy to send you the PDF.

By using the IDG framework as a tool for self-reflection and setting achievable goals, you will be better placed to navigate 2024.

This February, I encourage you to use the four weeks (plus a day!) to set an intention and achieve something that makes a difference – for yourself, for your financial wellbeing and for the planet. Doing so will not only make a difference for yourself, it is sure to inspire others as well. Take a leap this leap year and narrow that gap between what you are and what you want to be.

PS. If you’d like to explore the subject of inner development further, check out my latest podcast ‘Inner Development with Ashley Wain’. As a fan of the IDGs and long-time student and advocate of inner development, I wholeheartedly recommend tuning in.