New Year resolutions, what flimsy and meaningless statements! If you agree with that, today I am writing directly to you. I am challenging your thoughts. Hopefully help you realize “flimsy” and “meaningless” actually describe another item, your resolve.
Happy New Year by the way! In retrospect maybe I should avoid hurling insults before expressing celebratory greetings. Sorry. Allow me to encourage you to not take my comment personally. Yes, I questioned your resolve. However, said issue seemingly resonates among many.
Such a realization hit me while listening to a Youtube video. MulliganBrothers MOTIVATION’s “2017 New Year Resolutions- Motivation” featured clips from a Tony Robbins’ speech. His words addressed sentiments I saw others share via social media. Emotions representing those previously mentioned “flimsy” and “meaningless” descriptors. Essentially Robbins identifies the true problem.
They say here are my resolutions for the year and they really basically simply tell you their wishes. It’s their wish list. It’s what they hope all comes together. And then they call it a resolution but they don’t know what a resolution is.
Continuing on Robbins explains the difference.
When you resolve something, to have a resolution is to resolve it. When you resolve this is how it is going to be, that’s when you cut off any possibility except the thing you are committed to.
Commitment requires practicing good habits and establishing a time schedule. Taking these two steps will build your resolve. Personal experience supports my claim.
Destroying the Wish List
See, I am a past wish list maker myself. Even more reason not to feel slighted by me questioning your resolve earlier! In 2011 I set a goal to walk a half marathon. Technically I never classified the goal a New Year resolution. Still the same principles apply.
Between 2011 and 2014 I told multiple people “I am going to walk a half marathon.” Yet my training regimen sent a different message. My actions clarifying “I wish to walk a half marathon.”
Besides riding my stationary bike, early on I did not show much resolve for my half marathon goal.
Honestly come early 2014 you could label my physical wellbeing “a mess.” Sure I worked on endurance, riding my stationary bike. Exercise wise though, I badly neglected myself. My hamstrings constantly bothered me. My right leg grew harder to maneuver up and down. I failed to complete exercises to improve my balance. Overall I reached a physical low for my adult life.
Given the aforementioned, you may wonder “What changed?” I started practicing good habits. I looked at a calendar and vowed “I am going to exercise twice every seven days.” Suddenly I became mindful to the dates. I became consistently aware to when I must exercise.
Begin building your resolve by setting a daily or weekly goal. Meeting your goal after a while transitions to habit. Then you can add a new daily or weekly goal. Accelerate the progress on your New Year resolution!
Only Two Options
Proceeding forward proves vital to achieving your New Year resolution. Or like in my example, general long-term goal. Otherwise you risk complacency. Growing complacent leads to a counterproductive behavior, settling. You either make progress on your resolution or you do not. Simple enough!
To evade stalling out on your mission, grab a calendar. Think through and develop milestones which move you along to your ultimate resolution. Set reasonable deadlines for the various milestones. Specific deadlines enable you to better focus on the long game.
Again, I can demonstrate pointing to my half marathon goal. In 2015 I continued progressing. I reached a new high in distance, walking seven miles December 22nd, 2015. New Year’s Eve 2015 I spent at a friend’s wedding. I updated an acquaintance on my half marathon goal. He responded with a question. “When are you going to complete the half?”
Good habits and setting a time schedule transformed my half marathon goal from wish to accomplishment.
The response forced me to approach my goal with greater seriousness. Rather than indulging in self-satisfaction over each new personal best, I eyed the long-term. I targeted a half for October 2016 and pursued forth. With a time table in place I finally crossed the finish line Sunday, October 9th, 2016. Resolve turning a 2011 wish into a 2016 accomplishment.
Build Your Resolve Today!
Stop scuffing at New Year resolutions. Instead build your resolve by implementing the concepts outlined here into your life. Transform daily and weekly goals into good habits. Use a calendar and create reasonable deadlines to keep your success on pace.
If you desire extra accountability, leave a comment below. Tell what you plan to achieve utilizing your resolve. Your newly strengthened resolve! I will happily keep you accountable.
Good point.
I don’t know how but it seems like sometimes when certain words get overused (a.k.a, becomes buzzwords) the definition or meaning gets lost in the shuffle.
And resolution is one of those buzzwords. I too realized this and somehow when I reset my thoughts, my aha bulb came on. I wonder if it’s because of resolve (verb) becoming a resolution (noun).
In any case, you nailed it on the head. It’s all about taking action to make something happen.
My own resolution for this year is to increase engagement on my blog as well as engage more on other blogs such as yours.
My own resolution for this year is to
Let’s keep each other motivated then to engage with each other’s blogs and others too.