Back when I was in the fitness industry, January was a time of infamy. The gym would fill up, members would buy packages of training sessions… and 6 weeks later it it was mostly back to normal. There were, however, a few new members who made their resolutions stick. Want to keep up with your resolution?
1) Commit – It’s not enough to say, “I should do this”, or, “It’s good for me”, you have to want it for the right reasons. Tell people what you’re going to do and have them push you, write it down, have a “Day One” marker, and plan your resolution in advance. Most importantly, visualize what your life will be like when you achieve it and what your life would be like if you fail.
2) Be Mindful of Your Goals – A resolution isn’t supposed to be easy, but it must also be attainable. If you want to lose weight, 1 lb/month is as silly as 30. Also, base your goals on YOUR needs, not what other people have done or want you to do.
3) Track Progress – Your progress has to be quantifiable. Use a journal and log regular entries, and find a specific time of day to do so. Don’t be reluctant to discuss your successes or setbacks with people who care about you, their encouragement (or merciless taunting) may be all you need to keep going.
4) Be Flexible – Success isn’t always linear. There will be obstacles and setbacks. But we fall so we can pick ourselves back up again, and there’s no shame in realizing the goals you set may have been too lofty. The point is to stick to your changes and see progress, not to crush every milestone.
5) Reward Yourself – You may be a Tower of Iron Will, and if you are congratulations. But for most of us, a small reward serves as positive reinforcement. Just don’t let that one taste of chocolate, that 5 minutes on social media, or whatever reward you’re allowing yourself derail you. We all have to live, but you have a goal to attain.
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