So, here we are again. It's the time of year when, with the seasonal festivities behind us, we start to think about the New Year and how we might want something in our life to be different from the year that has just ended.

The problem with making such so called 'resolutions' is that they don't always seem to stand the test of time. For many people, this is not a problem as making resolutions is no more than a light hearted exercise. But, there are people for whom they have a serious intent and making them is a stepping stone for changing something fundamental in their life. For these people, I am offering a few simple tips for finding the inner resolve that will enable them to achieve their goals.

Identify the need – finding inner resolve requires clarity about the underlying need. Satisfying a genuine need is what creates the motivation for change, for overcoming whatever difficulties may be encountered and for sustaining momentum whenever making change happen feels tough as it generally does.

Create an image - seeing is the most powerful of the senses and for many people an image creates greater clarity than can be achieved by thinking alone. So, asking yourself what image your resolution creates for you, or creating a picture of how your life will look when you have achieved your resolution, will help you to see things more clearly than you otherwise could.

For me, making a resolution creates the image of a journey. I imagine that the person who is thinking about a journey is at a certain place in their life and, for whatever reason, wants to be in a different place. So, they have to go on a journey, however short or long, to get from place one to the other.

Creating this image enables me to more readily develop a picture, a visual map, of what will be involved in making the journey. Staying with the image, allowing it to emerge with greater clarity and exploring whatever emerges, without censor, will invariably trigger important information that can be the difference between success and failure.

Question yourself - allowing time for exploring the image creates a space for challenging questions to emerge. It creates an opportunity for questioning yourself about your willingness to take on the challenge involved in the journey and for asking if reaching the destination will really justify whatever will be involved in getting there. Your responses to such questions will provide a real test of your resolve for making the journey.

Share the journey - with a trusted friend rather than try to go it alone. A friend will provide a fresh pair of eyes and will very likely spot something important that you might have missed. Feedback, and even supportive challenge, from somebody you can trust will further test your inner resolve for taking on the journey that lies ahead. Talking regularly to your friend once you have started will keep you on track. It will help you through the tough times and moments of self doubt.

My experience of working with clients who want to change something in their life, whether it is at New Year or any other time, is that the key to success is the effort that is put into the preparation for the journey. This is the stage where your resolve can be firmly put to the test.