PC: Aaron Jones
New. There’s nothing quite like it, is there? The smell of a new book, the feel of a new car; like fresh grass and baby flowers plucking their heads above ground in the spring, a new year breathes life into your very soul. There is something inspiring about starting fresh with a clean slate and endless possibilities.
But suddenly my world snaps into focus as I realize it’s January 31st and nothing in this new year has changed other than my grand ideas of what life should look like; of who I could or should be. According to Statistics Brain, around 50% of those who make New Year’s Resolutions make it into February and even less than that make it past the first 6 months of the year.
What hope is there if half of those who eagerly set goals at the beginning of the year have given them up by now? There is a wealth of information about setting goals and how to accomplish them, so no one can claim ignorance when it comes to this. Where then does the problem lie? For me, if I take the appropriate steps to set my goals up well, my ability to actually accomplish them boils down to three things:
- Just Do It
- Consistency
- Accountability
I set myself up for success when I combine well planned goals with these principles.
JUST DO IT
I have always wished I had the ability to do the splits, but even when I was in gymnastics as a child, I was not very flexible. I recently talked with my personal trainer, and she gave me a list of daily stretches to do and a plan to help me succeed, or at least get me as far as I am physically able. But even though I have a plan, I have not done anything yet. And this time next year, I will still not be able to do the splits unless I take the actual steps needed to accomplish this goal.
“You need to do this on purpose. You don’t get to the end of your life and say, ‘Wow that accidentally occurred.’ Most of the things that happened in your life were things you planted in the ground and they grew a harvest…” (Dave Ramsey “Achievements Don’t Happen by Accident” video). So make a plan, and take Nike’s advice and “Just Do It”!
CONSISTENCY
Have you ever wondered why your body feels the need to eat multiple times throughout the day? Or why you need consistent sleep? I’ve tried eating only one meal a day and staying up at all hours and then ‘catching up’ on sleep later in the week, but that has never worked out very well. My body performs at its best when my meals are spread throughout the day and I am sleeping for enough hours on a regular basis.
At times I can have an all or nothing mindset, so if I miss one of my workouts during the week, I’m tempted to throw the rest of the week out the window and start again on Monday. If I didn’t keep to my diet at lunch, then I’ll tell myself the day is already ruined, and I will eat whatever I want for dinner. Craig Jarrow said, “The best time to start anything was yesterday. The second best time to do it, is always today” (“Today is always the second best day to start” Time Management Ninja). Don’t wait until tomorrow, or next week or next year; the time is now and the key is to keep going.
ACCOUNTABILITY
I am finishing one of the hardest goals I have ever done; I gave up sugar for the month of January. Anyone who knows me well knows I love sweets, so the only reason I even considered this challenge is because I had a group of friends who were doing it with me. It can be humbling to admit that you have a need for people in your life, but surrounding yourself with people who will cheer you on from the sidelines, or better yet, actually run the race with you is essential to succeeding at your goals.
Now if I were honest, I would admit that there were a couple times I had sugar this month; unfortunately, I cannot boast of a ‘perfect score’. But instead of seeking perfection, I can say that I kept doing what I set out to do, and I had the encouragement of my friends to keep me from giving up.
THE TIME IS NOW
Coach and trainer Autumn Calabrese said, “If you’re tired of starting over, then stop quitting” (“21 Day Fix” Beachbody). Let this be the year that you set realistic goals, have a plan and then go out and do it, be consistent and have a support system to help you succeed. So what are you waiting for? The time is now.
He Hears Me 