An Expat's Most Important New Year's Resolution - What Will You BE in 2009?

One of the things on my "to do list" since early in January that I have not gotten to because I have been sick in bed with a very bad flu for several weeks was to write a blog post about New Year's resolutions to support an expatriate's professional success.

As these past few weeks have gone by, my thoughts around what would be most meaningful to include in this post has changed quite a bit.

Initially I'd decided to write a list of things TO DO, including:

• Clarify your unique value and master how you communicate it

• Learn the language of your country of choice or improve your language skills - take a course or find a conversation group

• Develop or broaden your global perspective - take a course or start reading a new international publication like The Economist

• Plan a trip to your country of choice or to a new city in your expat home country - spend time doing activities that will help you learn about a new aspect of that culture

• Develop your adaptability muscle - regularly commit to doing one thing each week or month that puts you out of your element and forces you to adapt to a new situation

• Build or develop your global network off- and online - connect with fellow expats on online networks, via blogs, or join an international professional association

I still believe all of these recommendations for resolutions are good ones. But I have realized over the past few weeks of being ill that before resolving TO DO certain things to increase your professional success, it's actually more important to decide how TO BE first.

Because I have been sick, I have been tired (wanting to sleep all the time), fuzzy in the head (difficulty in focusing and thinking clearly because of clogged sinuses, constant coughing, sneezing) and uninspired (my only wish was to keep my symptoms at bay and for them to end).  In this state, I have been unable to accomplish much of anything, no matter how hard I tried.

Fortunately for me, when I get over the flu, these states of being will change and I will be back to my normal state of being - passionate, creative, and dedicated. This will allow me to get back to the business of achieving my goals - short and long term - as a matter of course of just being who I am.

Now we all have our moments of struggle - temporary periods where we may have flu-like symptoms of being as I described above - that keep us from moving forward in our professional lives. But when someone embraces these kinds of states of being as a normal mode of operation, they are actually creating permanent obstacles that keep them from getting what they want - professionally or personally.

For example, if someone is regularly being fearful, negative, or stubborn, how possible is it for them to see or be open to new opportunities, take action or take a risk to move them closer towards their professional goals?  In those states, these things would likely be a struggle.

On the flip side...

If someone is being open, courageous and powerful, how possible would it be for them NOT to see new opportunities, take actions or a risk to accelerate their success?  With those states of being, these things would happen naturally.

Given this, I am recommending you add one resolution to the top of your list - one resolution to BE something this year that will naturally support the pursuit of your professional goals.  If you can keep this one resolution, keeping all of your others will likely naturally follow.

Because studies show that writing your goals down significantly increases the likelihood of you reaching them, I also recommend that you write that resolution down.

Here's mine:

I commit to BEING COURAGEOUS in all that I do in 2009.

Why don't you join me?  

Resolve TO BE something in 2009 and write your commitment in a comment on this post.

YOUR EXPAT SUCCESS TIP: Commit to a state of being in 2009 that will support you reach all of your goals.  Be bold. Be fun. Be passionate. Be loving. Be committed. Be creative. Be open. Just be something.  Then write it down.  Write it here on this blog for all of the world to see, or in your journal, or on a notecard you keep at your desk where you can regularly remind yourself of your commitment.

Comments

[Doris Fuellgrabe]

Hi Megan,
hope you feel better! :-)
For some reason this post reminded me of the distinction between short-term being (estar) and long-term being (ser) in the Spanish language. If you "estar" well, it means you're feeling good, if you "ser" well, it means you're a good person. But I digress.
I'll take your challenge and share here that I'll be curious this year. And loving. Oh, and I want to be happy, too, naturally. And mindful. And hey, healthy all-round would be nice, too. I'm grateful already that all those wishes or goals or resolutions fit onto my newly-created vision board. Visual reminders, might I add, also work well when viewed as a desktop background or screensaver on your computer. :-)
Be well, in every sense, Doris

[Alex Fayle]

Great post - I agree that mind and attitude must be aligned before action - or the action might not take you where you want to go.

My commitment for 2009? Turn my blog into a platform for a successful business.