This year I am trying a new tactic for instituting change.  I am making New Year's Evolutions.  My goals are directed toward behavior I plan to "evolve" rather than outcomes I would like to accomplish.  I think this has a far better chance of success in bringing about permanent change because it puts into place a process rather than a static outcome.  I am also going to compare myself with myself rather than someone else.  Why you ask?  Well, think about this for a moment.  If I focus on becoming better at a specific task or implementing a different behavior, I have a better opportunity of feeling a measure of accomplishment if I am different next week when I compare myself with how I am today.  Along these lines, I am also going to focus on what I am confident I can do and will also lead in the direction I choose to go.  Collectively, I think this puts into place a very solid framework for incremental evolution - all I need to do is apply my energy toward the appropriate behavior in small, consistent steps.