If you’re like me, you’re ready to just get moving in this New Year. You’re getting ready to take down your holiday d?cor and pack it in its corner until next year. People are finally becoming normal again and lovely LA traffic is sinking back in. So the last thing you want to think about is: how are your resolution’s coming along? Like most normal adults we always enter into the New Year thinking about ways that we can better ourselves or just change something so that this is “our” year. Many people make resolutions every year, but athletes reevaluate on this weekly, monthly and seasonally. Now that we’re a week into the New Year, how many people have slid back into their typical habits? How do we figure out a way to keep ourselves on track with our resolutions and turn them into successful goals and habits?
Define What It Looks Like
So it’s 11:59PM and something popped in your head before the clock struck onto the New Year. Poof, now go and do it. Poof, your problems are solved. Like anything in this world, we as people don’t change over
night. We are creatures of habit and routines. It’s as simple as taking a shower the routine is to get in start with the head and work your way to the toes, well at least mine is. It’s the idea that the subconscious mind just does it because it’s what we always do. So to make your new habit or routine stick we have to first define what it’s going to look like when you complete it. Ask yourself:
- What does it look like?
- How does it feel when completed?
- Do you need to be in a certain place, time, or ..?
The more you can define your final picture the better chance you have of making this resolution a habit.
Set Goals Along Your Path
Rather than just tackling your huge resolution over the next 365 days, establish steps that will take you there. Making monthly or even weekly goals will not help you get to that point, but also keep you on track when the time is tough.
Perhaps January is a month where you focus on going to the gym three times a week. Where February is making it to the gym three times a week at a specific time, and March takes another step to three times a week on specific days and times. Things to think about:
- Quantifiable items – time, date, amount, measurable.
- Can I commit – why is this important? what does it mean? why is the outcome necessary?
- Accountability Ð don’t be afraid to have a helping system to keep you on track and surround yourself with the right coaches/mentors.
The key to creating successful habit or routines is making reachable measurable goals that keep you motivated.
Celebrate Victories
Whether large or small take time to reflect on your accomplishments or failures. Reflection is the key to being accountable and keeping track if you’re actually finishing your goals, or if you’re just avoiding them like that one family member. Celebrating these small victories will keep you on track towards turning your resolutions into habits as they will reinforce how the new habit feels to be done. Of cores don’t celebrate so hard that it sets you back a step though. Things to recognize:
- Acknowledge the feeling your success
- Reflect on failures to figure out how to grow from them
- Always remember change takes time
Don’t get discouraged. Anyone can change even the longest of habits, it’s never too late. Using these three simple steps should help turn this year into your year by helping turn your New Year’s resolutions into successful habits.
