At this time of year, our social media feeds are constantly filled with posts of everyone vowing to change for the better - setting out their goals and New Year's resolutions in all their glory. But in a few week's time, how many of them will still be going strong?
What separates those that keep their resolutions and those that don't, isn't down to the person, or the goal itself - it's connected to whether they took action or not.
Action is what moves things forward. We can promise things to ourselves as much as we want - indeed, we find it reassuring to do so. "I will lose weight this year", "I will visit the gym every week", "I will get a new job" and so on. All these are great aspirations and are all very achievable. However, it is the failure to connect these aspirations to action that lies at the heart of if they will be achieved or not.
Of course, that all sounds very obvious and simple. But how often is does it lie at the heart of why people don't fulfil their dreams? And the reason for many people not taking action is that first step is often the hardest. Overcoming inertia takes more effort and more energy than keeping things going.
Also, at the start of anything, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. There is so much that needs to be achieved and it can seem that the final destination is a long way off. So in order to get started and to make things manageable I recommend the following:
Once you have defined your goal (more about crafting goals can be found in my Goal Setting Worksheet - see attached file) you need to decide what is the very next step you need to take in order to begin to make progress. It might be visiting a gym for a look round. It might be digging out your sports kit. It might be throwing out unhealthy foods and removing temptation. Whatever it is, take the next immediate step that moves you towards your goal.
That first step will be a small, manageable one, but it will be the most important once since it will set things in motion. It will begin that journey - insert overused phrase about all long journeys starting with a single step!
Once you have motivated yourself into action, establishing momentum to keep you going is the next stage. To do this you need to develop habits and routines that will mean that you keep taking action that supports your goal. For fitness, this might be dedicating time each week to exercise; for healthier eating, it might be swapping out sugary breakfast food for an oats or eggs based breakfast.
So make 2019 the year that your resolutions become real and you turn those aspirations into actionable steps. Remember, if you need any help or support, UNION Fitness is here to help. Get in touch or take a look at our packages. Good luck!
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