I challenge you to not set New Year’s resolutions!

Here’s why…

They’re often big, bold claims that we convince ourselves we’re finally going to achieve this year. We made the same claims last year, and the year before that, and come to think of it, the year before that too! We’ve been saying the same thing every January since the dawn of time, it’s time to stop.

Let’s discuss the 3 most common resolutions – 

  1. I’m going to get fitter
  2. I’m going to eat better
  3. I’m going to get my shit together

What’s the one thing these 3 are all missing?

A Deadline.

There’s no timeframe set to “getting fitter” and to be honest, what does “fit” actually mean?!

The definition will differ for everyone and we each have our own perceived basic standard of fitness. 

Again, “eat better”… better than what? who?! 

If you set yourself challenges like these, you’re setting yourself up to fail. 

So how do I set a goal I hear you ask!

Simple, you have a target and a deadline

For example, I would like to get my own training back into a regular routine. 

Is my goal to train more? No!

My goal is to train on average 3 times a week and a minimum of 12 total sessions in January. 

I have a target and a deadline. 12 sessions, 1 month. 

This allows me to work it around my lifestyle, some weeks I might only get 2 sessions in but I’ll be able to plan ahead and arrange to get 4 in the following week, thus still allowing me to hit my target by the end of the month.

By setting a goal like this, I have set myself up to form a good habit; forming consistency (but not conformity) with my training. A flexible plan means that one bad day or even week, does not diminish all the hard work you’ve put in already and does not knock you off track.

The idea behind this is that I will continue to train 3 times a week throughout February without even realising or trying too hard to achieve this. I have already built this training pattern into my lifestyle and created a new good habit!

Setting short term goals like this will help set you up for success for your long term goals. 

You can apply this logic to any goal you like. Want to reduce the amount of meat you eat? Start by swapping out just one meal a week and build it up to your desired level over a predefined period of time. Want to get your shit together? Start by changing just one thing. That might be as simple as having a wash everyday for a week. Wash the pots 10 times in a 2 week window. Spend an hour over a week reading a book for a month. Baby steps, little wins; it’s not “all or nothing” but more like “little and often”. 

So remember, don’t set ridiculous New Year’s resolutions; instead, set yourself up for success!

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