2019 is off to a great start. Everyone is setting up flags and claiming this as their year. And out comes the New Year’s resolutions. That’s great, there’s nothing better than a little self improvement. We could all be a little more saintly in every regard, but for a lot of us, making it out of the first quarter of the year without ditching the resolutions is almost unheard of. Studies suggest that more than 75% of the people who make New Year’s resolutions “fail”. That’s not a motivating statistic at all, but it’s not 100% so that means there’s still hope.
Truth is, we approach the New Year with the wrong mindset. We overwhelm ourselves by thinking we need to be someone new and by not giving attention to a few fundamentals, that could potentially salvage that NYR list. Here are a few tips on how to go to work on those New Year resolution lists, as the same you, just with better strategy.
Put the horse before the cart
Don’t put the cart before the horse. In other words, order matters, there are somethings you may need to do before you can cash in on that big resolution. For example, if your resolution is to buy a house this year, and you haven’t started the process, chances are, steps 1 through 9 need to be on your resolution list. You have to work up to where you want to be. So ask yourself if this entry on your resolution list has a few prerequisites. If you understand the steps needed to achieve this resolution (goal), you’ll be more likely to succeed.
Baby steps
Don’t overwhelm yourself, give yourself time. Taking baby steps won’t make you any less manly. It’ll actually have you out here looking more manly. Nothing beats a man who knows what he wants and has some strategy on how he’s going to get there, even if that strategy is slow and steady. For example, if your resolutions are fitness related, along the lines of washboard abs by summer ‘19, take the time to evaluate where you are and make steady progress from there. If you currently do not frequent the gym, chances are, you need some serious strategy on getting to the abs, so start by keeping a packed gym bag (don’t forget the Fresh Meat Masculine wipes!) in your car and setting a goal of finding time to go to the gym just 1 to 2 times per week. After a few weeks of success, scale up. Don’t overwhelm yourself with 7 day commitments.
Watch how you talk to yourself
Stay motivated. Identify why this resolution is important to you and lock in on that. Purpose is a huge motivator. When you find yourself falling short, tell yourself it’s okay, remember your reason why and get back on track. Not being clear on why you added something to your resolution list in the first place will most likely result in failure the moment you face a challenge and get a little frustrated.
Be Accountable
Hold yourself accountable. It can be difficult to keep ourselves accountable because we’re so quick to let ourselves off the hook. Get an accountability partner; someone to help you keep your commitment. Find someone you’re comfortable sharing your resolution with. Tell them why it’s important to you and ask them to be your accountability partner. As your accountability partner, they’ll check in with you periodically to make sure you haven’t folded. And when you’ve reached milestones you can share your progress with them. The idea is, you’ll be more likely to succeed because now you have someone else to answer to, and chances are you don’t want them to be disappointed in you.
Apply these 4 tips to your New Year’s resolution list and a year from now you’ll be walking out of 2019 with your head high.
