This blog is an extension on the blog series that Ed Grosser wrote last January about New Years Resolutions. Rather than an update, it is some new thinking that I have learnt and used through the second half of 2019 and into the new year.
If you made a New Year’s Resolution, chances are that you will break it by the end of the month (if you haven’t already).
So why make them in the first place?
I think part of the attraction is that making a goal can be really refreshing, no matter how unrealistic it is.
It is a great start to the year by thinking about how different you are going to be, and how improved you are going to be. The best version of yourself. And so on.
It is easy to be sceptical and think of New Year’s Resolutions as a waste of time. However, I really don’t think they are if they are made in the right way.
In the 2 part blog series that Ed Grosser wrote this time last year, he outlined some reasons why they fail, and how to make sure they don’t fail using SMART goals.
There are three little learnings that I have gained over the year that are relevant for this discussion about New Years resolutions and anything you want to achieve in 2020.
New Years Resolution tip #1
A goal without a plan is called a wish.
Think about it. It is really easy to make a goal. Really easy to make a New Years resolution! But without a pathway, a plan of attack to reach that goal, you really are wishing and hoping.
Once you have made that SMART goal you must make a plan. Making the plan, the nuts and bolts of how you are going to get there, might be a reality check that the goal that you have chosen is not realistic.
New Years Resolution tip #2
Make little changes first
The other learning is that if you want to change something about what you do and make it sustainable, make little changes first. Make a change that is really easy to achieve. Then build on it. Bit by bit.
Make your New Years resolution so it is something that you look forward to doing, not something that you start to dread.
It’s not rocket science, but it works. Don’t set yourself up for failure.
New Years Resolution tip #3
Write your goal down and look at it every day
This is a reason that I have personally failed with goals – simply forgetting them! Writing something down is a form of commitment. If they are in your face every day, you remember them!
If you would like to speak with one of our physios one-on-one for a free chat about how we can help with your New Years resolutions, whether it is setting up an exercise programme with some realistic goals and a plan of attack, or to find out more about our PhysioStrong or Physio Group Treatment sessions, call us on 8356 1000 to organise a free 15 minute phone consult or book online here!
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