You might be thinking the title above is a typo. It’s New Year’s Resolutions, not New Year’s Revolutions! While you’re right that most everyone says New Year’s Resolutions, the title above is completely intentional. It always strikes me how one small change (in this instance, changing the ‘s’ to a ‘v’) can drastically affect an outcome, a meaning, an event, or a single word
A resolution is a statement of intent, a vow, generally linked to having a strong will or determination. When people make New Year’s Resolutions, they are typically resolving to change a behavior (depending on what it is, either by doing or not doing something going forward). In other words, to me a resolution is “yeah, I’m going to try…I’m going to do my best to make it different than before.”
I can’t think of another time of the year that generates more clichés and hopes and dreams than a new year. Optimism. A clean slate. A fresh start. I’m sure you’re familiar with New Year’s Resolution clichés like: This is the year I’m going to be more organized / improve my health / learn something new / be less stressed. On paper, those things sound great. In fact, who wouldn’t want to be more organized? Improve their health? Learn something new? Be less stressed? All of those things are good things, and that list along with many other resolutions are made around the start of a new year. But as good as those things sound, statistics and studies show only 8% of New Year’s Resolutions are actually achieved.
A revolution, on the other hand, is defined as a sudden, complete or marked change in a situation, a discipline, or a way of thinking and behaving. Yes, I’m aware the traditional definition of a revolution is centered around overthrowing a political establishment, but for this particular writing, the definition of sudden, noticeable change is the one I’m using. To me, a revolution is “I’m changing this ‘thing’ and it is going to completely change me or something around me…IT IS going to happen and people WILL (not might) recognize a difference.
JD moved into the new facility on Edgar in 2017, and CMP continues to expand operations and facilities as we head into 2018. Several new employees were brought on board at both JD and CMP, eager to learn what we do, how we do it, and contribute to making our companies even better. Both companies have seasoned employees full of knowledge and experience, and more importantly, a willingness to share what they know, making new employees feel at home and part of the team right away. Not only do I enjoy the work I do at JD and CMP, but also getting to work with the people that make JD and CMP the companies they are today. Overall, JD and CMP are in great shape heading into the new year.
Instead of making a resolution to start your 2018, I’d like to encourage you to make it a REVOLUTION. Find one thing (whether it’s personal or professional, whether it’s for you or for others, etc.) to focus on where a small change can make a big difference. Yes, it will probably require you to think and do things a little (or a lot) differently, but if you’re going to do it, DO IT. Knowing the employees of JD and CMP, I’m confident you’re up to the task. Here’s to getting 2018 off to a great start!