Happy New Year Published Jan. 4, 2013 By Lt. Col. Gabe Griess 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron commander TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Happy New Year. With the start of a fresh calendar, many of us focus on what we want to create in our lives over the next year. Resolutions are set to eat healthier, lose weight, manage debt, quit smoking, volunteer, travel and the list goes on. Often times, and not surprisingly, we stumble and fail to maintain our resolutions and don't achieve the goals we set for ourselves. I would like to suggest two things that have helped me achieve many of my lifetime goals. The first is "come from" and the second is "clear intention". "Come from" is examining how you look at an activity and how you address it in your daily life. While clear intention is truly having a commitment that you will achieve what it is you are setting out to accomplish. In the end, these two elements will help you achieve any result you are prepared to put committed action behind. "Come from" could also be defined as an attitude about the world around you. Choosing to change your attitude about even the smallest tasks will pay enormous dividends. As I write this, I realize I get to change my come from about doing dishes. My wife and mother-in-law are fantastic cooks. So we generally have amazing dinners that I thoroughly enjoy. However, after I am replete, I then have to go do the dishes. Wait, let me change one simple word: have to get. After I am replete, I "get" to go into the kitchen and do the dishes, grateful for the food I've just eaten, the love with which it was prepared and the home in which we live. What if now I get to mow the lawn, get to take out the trash, get to write that enlisted performance report and get to take care of my Airmen? The list is endless. My come from in this case is one of gratitude that I am in a position to do these actions. How many folks would want to be in your position? Remember, there is always someone looking up to you thinking you have it made. Listen to your word choice. When you say you "have" to do something change it to a "get" to do. Now that I've cleaned up how I'm going to look at doing the dishes, let's talk about clear intention. This one is exceptionally important with respect to declaring new resolutions. Notice I didn't say setting a resolution. There is nothing stationary about a resolution, it requires committed action and clear intention to achieve. I encourage everyone to declare new resolutions for the day, month and year. These resolutions "get" to be something you are committed to achieving through action. Resolutions that you have no intention on achieving are more like good ideas that will undermine your self confidence and self worth. This is exceptionally important because for the next few weeks your internal dialogue will be with respect to the resolutions you put forth. Resolutions with clear intention and committed action will push away schedule conflicts and early morning alarms and yield results. While good ideas will only haunt you as you eat your doughnuts driving past the gym five minutes late for work. So let's tie this all together. Declare resolutions that you are committed to for the purpose of achieving real results. Then monitor your come from as you take action to accomplish your resolution. Be mindful of your words. "I get to quit smoking because I deserve to breathe free." "I get to go to the gym and make my physical health a priority." If your inner voice is saying this can never work, understand it is just being fearful you'll actually change. By changing your come from and living with clear intention you'll achieve everything you've ever dreamed of. Good luck and I'd love to hear your success stories in the months to come.