The Only Resolution That Matters

Every January it’s the same story at fitness centers across the country. After everyone sleeps off their New Year’s Eve hangover they march dutifully to the gym, contrite and assuring themselves that this year will be different. This year will be the year that they stick to it and get fit, lose the weight, get healthy, etc., etc.

Those that visit the gym year round tend to roll their eyes a bit as they show up for their first workout of the year and have to circle the parking lot six times to find a parking spot. Maybe a bit jaded because they’ve seen it so many times before, the gym rats try to be supportive most of the time but after year in and year out of the same old song and dance, to them January feels more like a month to be tolerated until February rolls around. That’s when the “resolutioners” start fading and things go back to normal.

The sad fact is that 92% of New Year’s resolutions fail. The psychological arguments about why this is could go on forever, but my opinion is that the first of January is not any different than the first of any other month, or any other day for that matter. The person who will not start cleaning up their diet, saving their money or getting fit in the next five minutes will go into the first of the year with the same failure mindset as the last day of the current year. That mindset says that your dreams, desires or goals are something to be put off; to be planned for later. That that they are so unimportant that you can binge now because there is always tomorrow to work off the sugar or pay down the credit card. This paradigm is destructive, and I believe this is why most resolutions are a failure.

As long as you think it’s acceptable to delay reaching for a better life it will always be beyond your reach.

Your dreams will forever be some future event that you feel is miles away from where you are now as you look at the bottom of the bag of Cheetos or settle into your comfortable dent in the sofa that perfectly fits your rear end. Until you change your mind about what you are worth, you will never change your life.

So really the only resolution that matters is the one you are willing to implement right now. The first step is to understand that the life change you desire is worth your immediate effort; if you continue to make it something that starts in the future, in the future is where it will forever stay.

I challenge you to start your New Year’s Resolution in the next five minutes, whether it’s doing twenty sit ups or putting away the credit cards or finding a quiet place to meditate or finding out what it takes in your area to start a new business. Whatever your goal is, take your first steps now. Don’t cheat yourself out of one more moment.

If you focus intently on your desire and devote a part of each day to it, you will begin to see that future you a little bit more each day.

Have a happy new year, everyone! Together we will make 2017 First Class all the way!