I can’t be the only one who knows this, am I?
Making and then ‘trying to stick’ to a vague resolution is a losing battle, every time.
It’s usually the ‘all or nothing’ language and mentality that derails progress, along with setting a massive, unrealistic goal.
Whereas setting a reasonable goal is not a losing battle, because we can readjust the ‘flight path’ based off where we are in terms of completing said goal, and then ‘add-on’ to the original goal.
Think of it like a heat seeking missile that has been given it’s coordinates.
If you look at the flight path, which is NOT linear, you’ll see there is some falling off course, readjusting, falling off course, readjusting, etc … and finally hitting the target!
By their very nature ‘resolutions’ are restrictive, and thus, not sustainable, or even really conducive to producing the coveted ‘positive mindset’.
It doesn’t mean chuck resolutions out the window, it means we need to rethink what a ‘resolution’ is …
Here are 5 popular resolutions that people ‘try to make’ and why they won’t.
- Cut out Sugar – As soon as you ‘cut it out’ it will be at the forefront of your mind, because you are restricting yourself, and you’ll end up with cravings – not sustainable.
- Lose 5 Pounds (or 10, 20) – Your weight fluctuates with training, stress and hormones, so this could be a fast moving target that can put you on an emotional roller coaster if you’re obsessed with that number, because it isn’t guaranteed to make you stronger, faster or happier.
- Go Keto or Paleo January 1 – Highly specific diets require dramatic changes and most people really just want to drop a couple pounds and ‘feel happier’, so this could actually set you up for massive frustration and disappointment.
- Go ‘Dry’ for January – There’s nothing inherently wrong with going dry, it’s just a hard act to follow because you’re setting a time limit, instead of actually creating a new habit, and you will probably fall right back into the old pattern, so there isn’t any real long term benefit here.
- Doing a ‘Dozen’ things – Lose 20 lbs. Run a Marathon. Add 10 lbs of Muscle. Get a six-pack. Do a Tough Mudder. Dead-lift 50 more pounds. Do a Pull-up and learn the piano this year!!! Those are all wonderful things that will trigger more of the feel good hormone dopamine, because who doesn’t like setting new goals? It’s taking action to get there that tends to slow us down, or throw in the towel.
Here’s what to do instead …
- Cut out Sugar – Why do you want to do this and what challenges will you face if you do? Dig into those motivations and journal it, or at least get very granular mentally about your reasoning. If you don’t know the ‘why’ you won’t maintain the habit when ‘life happens’.
- Lose 5 Pounds (or 10, 20) – Do you even need to lose this weight? What is your optimal body composition? Instead of losing 10 pounds, maybe adding 10 lbs of muscle can help you ‘be happier’, or aiming for a lower body-fat percentage? Be sure before blindly taking off.
- Go Keto or Paleo January 1 – This is where I ‘might’ be ok with some technology, by using an app to help you track your diet for a week. Once you look at the big picture you can add a few more veggies, eat less junk and correct course accordingly.
- Go ‘Dry’ for January – Make changes that will have a long-term impact. Or, if you’re determined to drink less, than come up with a plan, like no alcohol during the week and no more than 2 drinks on a Friday or Saturday – something that is sustainable, not limited.
- Doing a ‘Dozen’ things – Which of the dozen things is ‘most important’ or you would be happiest with if you reached it? Start with that goal, work towards it and on the way determine if the outcome is what you were hoping for. Otherwise, scrap that and attack a new goal, while always remembering the ‘why’ behind the goal.
So, now that we’re clear on resolutions (or goals), what are you working on in 2020?
Let us know in the comments below!
Look forward to hearing from you 🙂
Be Well – John
Changing the way Life is done.
Mindset. Fitness. Nutrition.
P.S. Here are 4 more ways you can become happier and healthier:
1. Podcasts
Some of the greatest insights and healing for me, have come from listening to podcasts in the last few years. This long-form type of communication, I’ve found, has been extremely important for understanding context, while learning how to make sustainable change.
That’s why I have started to find ways to get our story on some podcasts, and give you an opportunity to really go deep with us, and see what we’re all about. That way, you can decide if this tribe fits your personality. Click the link below to go to our podcast page, where you can find all our episodes!
2. Rise
Rise is the story of ‘never feeling powerful … to … never feeling powerless’. It’s about John Bair’s life, why he does what he does and how his suffering created happiness.
This handwritten book takes you through an intimate, yet, self-revealing journey, which allows you to implant yourself into the story, as it relates to your own, and reveal the steps you’ll need to take, in order to make change a successful reality.
Available in DIGITAL, AUDIO, BOOK
Click Here To Get Your FREE Copy
3. Join our BADASS Community on Facebook
We want to work with and be around as many BADASS people as possible. Folks who might forget how BADASS they are and just need the space to remember.
So, we started a FREE group on Facebook called BADASS, which is our own private community where we go deeper into what we do at Bair Knuckle Strength.
The truth is, it makes the world a happier, safer, more enjoyable place when you love your BADASS self.
If you’re ready to see what we do, just CLICK HERE!
4. Fitness Scorecard
Have you gone through the Fitness Scorecard yet?
Confused where to start, or what to do next with your health and fitness journey?
Well, step 1 is to understand where you currently score across the 8 Fitness Indicators.
Start your journey toward your personal fitness breakthrough by completing your Fitness Scorecard Today: CLICK HERE