It’s a New Year,

which means new hopes, new ideas, new opportunities, new beginnings and of course…

New Year’s Resolutions.

If you google the top New Year’s Resolutions for this year, you’ll find things such as eat healthier, lose weight, get a new job, manage debt, quit smoking, etc.

All of which are great endeavors,

But…

A few years ago, Pastor Andy Stanley proposed a new kind of New Year’s Resolution that has significantly impacted my life and perhaps could yours as well.

In his incredible message A New You, Stanley suggests rather than making resolutions for all you want to do this year, instead set goals for who you want to become.

In essence…character goals.

Stanley says…

“It is always a mistake to decide what you want to do before you have determined who you want to be.”

Not just what will you accomplish this year, but who are you becoming on the inside?

Not what all do you want to achieve but what kind of reputation are you building?

Not what do you want to do, but who do you want to be?

Because there is a difference isn’t there?

Stanley goes on to say…

“Ultimately, who you are will always show up in what you do.

Eventually, your talent has the ability to take you to a place that your character cannot sustain you.

Your position may enable you to get to a place where your name is known but your character will determine what people associate with your name.”

Because who you are and what you accomplish are not the same thing…

At All.

Character trumps accomplishment.

Every.

Single.

Time.

So what if this year you made a different type of New Year’s Resolution?

A resolution to be more…

forgiving.

generous.

honest.

grateful.

loving.

How different would your relationships be this year?

What about how you handle conflict at your job?

Or how you deal with stress?

Or uncertainty?

For me, this has a been an ongoing process. Upon hearing this message five years ago, I picked 9 character words to shape the person that I am becoming and have been continually working on them ever since.

So perhaps this year you might set a new New Year’s Resolution…

A resolution that focuses not just what you want to do, but on who you want to become. 

Because who you are is not determined by what you do or accomplish this year…

 But who you are will always show up in what you do.

Which is why…

“it is always a mistake to decide what you want to do before you have determined who you want to be.”