In recent times the majority of people have repeatedly chosen the same New Year's resolutions: 1) eat healthier, 2) exercise more, 3) lose weight, 4) save more money, and 5) acquire a new skill. As you can see, the top resolutions always involve some sort of health and fitness. However, much of the motivation and drive to accomplish goals in the New Year fizzle out before February arrives. Actually, surveys show January 12 is the date most resolutions are ditched and there is an 80% failure rate for all resolutions. No bueno. So how do we up those success rates and have a happy productive year? Here are some tips:
1. Be Prepared Mentally, Emotionally, and Spiritually
Resolutions, in particular those that deal with health and wellness, are lifestyle changes. A lifestyle change permeates all levels of your being. Such a drastic change takes a bit of prepping and planning. Are you ready for a change? Are you ready for success? Will you push though at the first sign of adversity? There are a myriad of questions you can ask yourself so that when they manifest you will be fully prepared to conquer them. Moreover, envision yourself successfully and smoothly fulfilling your resolutions. Feel the satisfaction you get from eating healthier. Feel the joy of exercising your body and those endorphins that come with it. Feel the excitement of seeing your body shape in ways you desire. See all your resolution fulfillments in your mind first, and the body will have an easier path to success.
2. Start Early
So January 1 rolls around and you have said this is the fateful day. This is the day you are starting at the gym. This is the day you are going to throw out all that junk food. This is the day your big body transformation begins. The problem is that you went out partying on New Year’s Eve, and you might be a bit hung-over… maybe tired… and maybe there’s some leftover cake from last night that you can’t let go to waste. You’ll start those resolutions tomorrow… but then something else comes up tomorrow and you push back to the next day… and so on… And next thing you know it is January 12 and you have completely given up on those resolutions. Damn! Maybe next year! Or the other option is to start your resolutions early. Getting into a routine and attacking those resolutions weeks before New Year's will give you the momentum and drive to keep pushing through January 1. Whatever obstacles pop up will be scaled much easier because you are already well into a lifestyle change. Try starting your resolutions in early or mid- December and see if your success rate goes up.
3. Stealthily Build Support
Most people are what they are around. And no disrespect, but you may not be strong enough to overcome negative people and circumstances that are constantly in your life. If you want to be successful, you hang around successful people. If you want to get fit, you hang around health conscious people. If you want to write a novel, you may hang around authors. It cannot be stated enough that many resolutions are lifestyle changes. Perhaps one of those resolutions and changes should be “removing toxic people out of my life” or “staying away from negativity.” Furthermore, our greatest detractors are the people closest to us. How many times have you gotten excited about something, shared it with a close one, and then they had a negative or limited mindset and completely took the wind out of your sails? Keep your resolutions to yourself and only share them with people you know will support you 100%; if there’s no support, just quietly work towards your goals. There is no need to plaster your resolutions all over social media. That is just seeking validation, not working towards a lifestyle change. But if you’re quiet and steadfast about your resolutions, and you’ve built a small support team to assist you, your chances of fulfilling your goals will measurably increase.