Happy New Year and welcome to my first blog of 2020.
It seems pretty appropriate to discuss new years resolutions, so that's what I'm gonna do.
I, like most people, have made my resolutions for this year and so far I'm doing well and have no desire to stop them - wahoo. However, one study showed that only 4% of people stuck to their resolutions last year! Another study by Strava, an athletic app, showed that by the second Friday of January most people would have given up too.
THAT IS TODAY!
So, if your motivation is wavering and you can feel yourself on the edge of giving up those resolutions, hold on for a minute and read on...
Progression not perfection. Say that out loud to yourself (Go on! There is proof that by saying something out loud makes it stick better than saying it in your head, so go on!)
So many of us set goals like "I want to lose weight", "I want to get fit", "I want to eat better" etc and that is admirable and a great goal to work towards. Even if you specify it; "I want to lose a stone" or "I want to run a marathon", that's great (even better in fact) BUT that is the final destination and could seem like a long way off from where you're starting. No wonder people lose hope in their resolution, when that idea of perfection, that end point, is their focus every day. The last thing anyone wants to do is think about and compare themselves to that perfect ideal, that goal that seems like a million miles away (and a hell of a lot of effort too) when you're tired, stressed out and your mind is fried after being back at work again. SO, how about focussing on progression, rather than the perfection of being at that final goal? How about if we changed the way we looked at this resolution and let ourselves off the hook slightly? What if we said to ourselves, as long as I make progress towards that goal, I'm winning? Doesn't that seem like a much more achievable and friendly way of reaching that aim?
In fact, that's pretty simple.
Progression not perfection.
In fact, this way of thinking can be applied to everything in life (but that is worthy of a blog of it's own I think).
So whatever your new years resolution is (not just health ones) as long as you make progress your priority then you are being true to that motivated and inspired version of yourself that set this goal on 1st January.
So stick with it peeps. Keep chipping away!
And once more for luck - progression not perfection!