The past 6 weeks have quickly vanished and it’s that time again. You know, the time you can’t wait for every year. The time you have scheduled on your calendar for it all to start again. The time that will be different. You know it will be this year. You tried last year and you did a decent job. But you know you can do more. You know you can accomplish more. You are going to achieve all of your goals this year. You have been thinking about them for weeks. It’s time to set your New Year Resolutions.
How come so many of them look exactly like they did last year at this time? Matter of fact, it seems like every year you set the same goals. Why haven’t you accomplished them? Are there too many? Are they unachievable? Or is your process broken?
No matter what goals you set for yourself, there are 2 steps that must be executed if you hope to take them off of your annual resolution list. Applying both of these will help you establish lifestyle changes that will last versus yearly resolutions that lose their popularity 6 weeks into the year.
Discipline and consistency are the foundation of a healthy lifestyle change and serve as the bridge to your best version of you. Here are a few strategies you can implement to improve your foundation as you establish or improve your habits this year.
Discipline comes from within and is a matter of self-accountability pertaining to what is most important to you. There are so many different goals we can write down every year, but which ones mean the most to you? Discipline starts with prioritizing. If you’ve written down the same 5 goals every year, choose just the top one or two that will most improve your lifestyle. Be decisive. The more intent your focus, the more likely you are to experience improvement.
Discipline must next be exercised by holding yourself accountable. How important is it for you to make the changes you have proposed? Can you count on yourself to stay accountable to these healthier habits? On a scale of 1-10, if you answer a 9 or a 10 (10 meaning it is VERY important), then you have prioritized correctly. If you answer any less than that, you might need to reconsider if that particular goal is most important to you right now. It takes discipline to make this decision and it’s best to get it right early on so that you will increase your chances of success over the course of the year.
Discipline is strengthened on a daily basis thru the power of consistency. In order to be consistent, you must first have a plan. When are you going to practice your goals? Are they a certain number of times per week? Per month? Or is it something you must consistently practice thru out the day? Writing out your plan regarding how you are going to accomplish your goals is crucial. Break them down into quarters or weeks so that any yearlong aspirations feel even more attainable. Mini goals are the necessary steps toward achievement. You cannot get to the top of the mountain without taking the first step.
Now that you’ve drawn out your consistent plan, it’s time to consistently practice. Lifestyle changes only happen with consistent repetition of the desired outcome. You cannot continue to do the same things over and over if you are expecting a different result. That is the definition of insanity. That might be the reason why you still have the same goals written down for several years. You have to make a change. And you have to be consistent with your change.
In order to achieve your New Year goals, you have to fully commit to each one. Again, this is where your initial discipline comes into play. Both discipline and consistency play off of each other. You have to exercise discipline if it is something you really want and you have to be consistent with this discipline. Set the stage for your success by establishing parameters around what each of these mean to you. Abide by your parameters and celebrate your success.
Discipline and consistency will take you from where you are now to exactly where you want to be. You will become a better version of you one step at a time. Our mantra at Funktional Fitness is “strive to be 1% better everyday.” Over the course of a year this adds up to 365% better. Imagine where you would be next year at this time but remember it takes each step, each 1%, every day in order to get there. You have the formula, now go get the RESULTS you desire and make 2015 your best year yet!
Discipline + Consistency = RESULTS
– Jeremy Jones, co-owner of Funktional Fitness
