So you’re full of turkey, your fingers hurt from wrapping
presents and you’ve got a stomach full of egg nog. What’s next?
While the holidays are mostly reserved for close friends and
family, perhaps the most personally satisfying of them all is welcoming the new
year.
A new year brings a new chance with new opportunities. It’s an
ideal time to focus on self-improvement, setting new ambitions, and starting
over. What about that extra ten pounds of body fat you’ve been trying to lose?
You could set a resolution to shed it by the summer. Problem solved! Right?
Possibly, but…
A recent study conducted by the University of Scranton suggests
that only
8%
of people actually follow through with New Years resolutions.
Why is it that so many of us just can’t follow through? Here are
6 reasons why we fail.
Failure to plan
Fail to plan, fail to succeed. Setting the resolution is half the
battle. You also need a plan. Place the same amount of importance on this as
the resolution itself.
Unclear goals
In today’s world we rely a great deal on GPS. But our destination
is usually clear before we even set foot in our vehicles. There may be a dozen
ways to get to the same place, but in the end you arrive at the desired
destination. Before you commit to your resolution, be absolutely clear about
what you want.
Distractions
What was I about to talk about again? Oh yeah, distractions. In
2018, distractions are becoming an ordinary part of our daily life. It’s nearly
impossible to steer clear of just about all of them. I get it, they’re
everywhere. But tuning these out—even keeping them at a minimum—is critical if
you’re going to succeed.
Unrealistic expectations
Imagine a 9 month old baby running a 100 meter dash before
they’ve even taken their first steps. Sort of impossible to fathom, right?
That’s because it’s not very realistic. Your resolutions should reflect the
reality of where you currently are and you should use this to measure just how
far you’d like to go. Make it challenging, yet pragmatic and sensible.
Lack of consistency
So you’ve established your goals. They’re clear, you’ve got your
plan, you’re prepared. But now you have to stick with it. Now you have to be
consistent. Imagine riding a bicycle and slamming on the brakes every 5
seconds. You’d never get anywhere would you? Once you’ve settled on what you
want, you must constantly work on it. Every. Single. Day.
Lack of Self Belief
You’ve probably heard the age old saying: seeing is believing.
But, this message in reverse rings just as true. Before you can achieve
something, you must be able to expect it of yourself. This comes with believing
you can do it. Believe in yourself, and you’ve won half the battle.
Take it one step at a time!
The first day of the year brings with it quite a bit of
responsibility. We’re given a whole new set of 365 days. It’s a lot of time and
we’ve got a lot to think about. But the only way anyone’s every run a marathon
is by putting one foot in front of the other. You take one step at a time and
before you know it, you’re at the finish line.
