Keep Your Resolution in 2018 (feat. Coach Wade)
January 2, 2018
Happy New Year!
2017 is gone, and 2018 is here. With it, comes the optimism of a great year to come, and the setting of New Year’s Resolutions. If you are like me, finding a resolution is the easy part. There are so many things that I would like to improve on, I could toss them in the hopper and pull one out at random. The hard part, however, is keeping the resolution and meeting the goal that you set for yourself. In fact, some statistics state that less that 9% of all New Year’s Resolutions are followed through and completed.
While some if this may be due to laziness or simply not wanting it bad enough, I believe that a majority of it is due to improper planning or goal setting. Let’s face it, a resolution is a goal, or it should be. This goal should be as specific as possible, measurable, and most importantly, attainable. We want to get X done by Y date. You may want to lose 10 pounds by year’s end, increase your clean and jerk by 20 pounds before July, or limit your intake of sugar for example. All of these “resolutions” are simply goals that you want to reach. So why do over 90% of people fail? They stop with just the resolution.
Setting a goal is only the first step, and arguably the least important. This is because the goal is a result you want and not the actions needed to get there. Everyone has heard of Action vs. Reaction, I am sure. The resolution is the reaction. Nowhere in the resolution: “to lose 10 pounds by year’s end” have the actions needed to get this accomplished, been stated. In order to fix this issue, we need to have actions or strategies in place that we can do daily that will move us closer to our goal.
Workout at least 3 times per week, eat three healthy meals per day, and keep snacks to a minimum are examples of actions or strategies that we can put in place to help us get to our resolution.
When writing it out it should look something like this:
And yes, WRITE IT DOWN!! Hang it up somewhere that you will see it!
Now you can measure your success weekly and track your progress. By tracking our progress, we can make changes to our strategies along the way to make sure we reach our goal. If by June I’ve only lost 3.5 pounds, I may want to modify Strategy 1 to working out 4 times per week. Some people may need to make changes more frequently, while others may not have to change them at all. The point is, if you aren’t tracking your strategies then you can’t tell if they are working or not.
Lastly, once you have your Resolution and Strategies written down, give a copy of them to someone that will hold you accountable. This could be a friend, family member, or workout partner. You will be 100% more likely to follow through on your strategies if you have someone at the end of the week asking you how many times you worked out this week, or what meals you ate?
If you are chosen to be the accountability partner, this is not supposed to be a judgmental role. It is a role of encouragement. If they fall short, them telling you they fell short is punishment enough. Instead, try to offer words of encouragement or advice to help them get back on track.
If you would like help with this process, please feel free to contact me or any of the coaching staff at River to River, and we will be happy to help. Here’s to a successful 2018, and 100% successful New Year’s Resolutions.
Coach Wade
