These days, organizations and individuals review what has happened with their resolutions for this year, when 25 percent of the time has already passed. It happens that time becomes an unquestionable pressure amid variables that become obstacles. On the other side of the coin are the achievements already made and the road already traveled.

Short-term planning, which starts to be programmed from August or September, has several factors that weigh on its results. One is associated with the financial projection, which considers historical figures, but also the projection of what is aspired to achieve. This aspect has economic contingencies such as inflationary risks or local currency devaluations. In real life, it becomes an element of great concern because, if it occurs, it jeopardizes the projected results. It has a strong organizational impact.

In the ranking of the happiest countries in the world, Finland, Denmark and Iceland occupy the first three places. This is not surprising, since it is the result of a suitable educational system, planning and execution of a better lifestyle from a personal point of view. Of course, not all countries have this structure and there are other variables that can affect the achievement of these results.

The private education sector in Latin America, for example, is greatly impacted by the consequences in costs of all kinds, which, to a large extent, are reflected in the value of tuition and in the good intentions to improve infrastructure or to undertake projects to improve quality.

On a personal and family level, inflation affects the family economy, which has another unforeseeable circumstance in job stability. Global inflation, which reached a multi-decade high of around 9 % in 2022, is expected to fall to 6.5 % this year, although it will remain high.

The loss of a family member’s job has serious consequences because of the uncertainty it generates and because it breaks the forecast, which never takes pessimism into account. According to the International Labor Organization, total unemployment will probably reach 208 million people, which corresponds to an unemployment rate of 5.8 % for this year. It’s a blow to dreams.

Another factor for stress to surface these days when the expected results are not forthcoming is related to delays in the implementation of projects that should be in phase X at the end of the first three months of the year. That is why it is said that “Paper holds everything”. It is one thing to calculate a certain amount of time thinking about the desire to start a project and another that the human resources are not enough to achieve it. Of course. Institutions have more than one annual purpose, and not all of them advance at the same pace. Even less so when venturing into new terrain.

It happens on a personal level. Who has unsuccessfully started a diet or a training project or an exercise routine? And who has quickly lost interest? Many. According to a study by the University of Scranton in the United States, only 8 % of people keep their resolutions by the end of the year. Perhaps we commit ourselves to missions in which we do not have the full conviction or the sufficient mission not to give up at the first obstacle. It is also due to a lack of perseverance, an attitude that many people try and pay off in the long run.

Organizations can count on tools and resources to judiciously monitor the progress of projects and be able to stop the execution in time and prevent harmful effects for the company. And it happens. The level of institutional frustration is managed differently when there has been responsible planning.

The situation is different when at this stage of the year everything is going as planned. We cannot let our guard down, but we must remain firm so that the balance in December is equal to or better than projected.

In any case, we must always keep our feet on the ground and be prepared to make effective decisions in the face of unforeseen events.

(*) Doctor in Pedagogy. Rector of the Colombian School of Rehabilitation. [email protected]