What’s Your Resolution for 2015?
I don’t believe in resolutions. Never have, never will. But I know there’s a lot of Crossfitters out there who do believe in the New Year’s resolutions, so this one is for you.
I was talking to one of my coaches the other day and she mentioned that February is actually a much bigger enrolment month than January. I thought that was interesting since most people actually give up their resolution by the end of the first month. Those that join in February must be more serious, right? Maybe. But it got me thinking about it, and how you might go about them.
1. Make sure you’re ready
The first step in achieving a resolution is making sure you’re ready. Did you just jot down “lose 5 % body fat,” or “deadlift 300 lbs,” or did you consider what it might take to achieve such a goal and actually start the mental preparation for going after it? Are you ready? Meaning, are you ready to commit to what it takes to achieve that?. Think about it. Stew on it. Plan for it. Then plan to achieve it.
2. Failure to plan, is planning to fail
Once you have a goal you have to plan for it. What will it take to get there? What are the incremental steps you must take to achieve success? How long do you think it will realistically take to achieve your goal? Mini-goals, or milestones, along the way are essential when your goal is lofty or will take some time to achieve. And they let you know how you are doing, and how you are measuring up against your timeline. Failure to plan, is planning to fail. And even the best laid plans may include a setback or two. If your goal is fitness related there will almost definitely be setbacks or missed milestones along the way. Will you give up? Or will you readjust your plan?
The action you take in the face of adversity determines who you will become on the other side of the challenge.
3. Think constructively
Thinking constructively about setbacks, whether in regard to a specific resolution or life in general can dictate the outcome. I often say to my teenage son, “The action you take in the face of adversity determines who you will become on the other side of the challenge.” This applies to so many situations in life, and especially to an unforeseen setback in pursuit of a goal. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and get back to your plan. Remember your plan? Stick with it!
Constructive thinking goes hand-in-hand with mental toughness. When elite athletes compete they are not thinking about the end-game, they are thinking about the next lift, the next point or play, the challenge at hand and overcoming it. Of course there’s an end-game in mind, but at each step toward victory the athlete is focused on the many milestones needed to achieve overall success. Again… Remember your plan! Stick with it. Don’t lose focus on the incremental milestone you want to hit this week, because if you hit it this week, and you hit it next week, and the week after… guess what? Soon 2015 is in the bag and that New Year’s Resolution has been achieved.
After all this, you might say I do believe in resolutions, because I do have a plan laid out for the first six months of 2015 and yes, there’s a goal at the end of it. Maybe I just look at the process a little differently?
However you look at it, good luck!