Hello Friend!
Are you on track to make this your best year EVER??
How is 2019 going so far??
One week is gone, so how are your New Year’s Resolutions?
Statistically you only have one more week and then it’s ok to quit. Forbes Magazine found that only 40% of people make a New Year’s resolution, and 90% of those people only make it to January 15 before they quit.
So IF you made a resolution, I commend you!!!
You are in the minority.
Let me ask you, why do people fail with their resolutions?
It’s NOT that they intend to fail or don’t try hard enough.
It’s because they make a January Resolution, not a New Years Decision.
Here’s what I mean:
Most people make New Year’s Resolutions because they are “supposed to”. They don’t actually make a decision to change their life. The resolution is something that would be nice to accomplish, but it’s not a necessity.
They give it a try, make it January 15, and then slide back into their normal routine just to repeat the cycle again next year.
If you know anyone like this, type “ME” in the comments below.
Change is hard and habits have deep roots, but when we truly make a decision, there is no going back.
“If you want to take the island, burn the boats.”
A decision happens in an instant but the process of getting to that decision can take years.
To compound this, our decision making muscles are weak. We’ve had someone giving us directions since we were kids and been conditioned to be good employees operating when someone is telling us what to do.
So we must learn how to make decisions, aka goals, aka resolutions.
I’m raising my hand here too!
During my football career, I had someone giving me clearly defined goals.
The season was broken down from the ultimate goal (winning a championship), to what we needed to do each practice to accomplish that goal (down to the minute!).
I knew how to show up, follow directions, and give great effort; but not to break those goals down myself.
Make no mistake, goal setting is a skill that we learn and perfect.
I set the goal of playing Division 1 college football, and I did it.
I set the goal of playing pro football, and I did it!
I wanted to play in the NFL, and I got pretty close, but I didn’t BELIEVE that I could play at that level.
Secret #1: Goals must be broken down into the daily action steps and scheduled.
Secret #2: YOU MUST BELIEVE YOU CAN ACCOMPLISH THEM!!!
When you believe in a goal, you will break it down to what you need to do daily to accomplish it.
I believed, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I could play Division 1.
Division 1 happened. The NFL didn’t.
When someone broke down goals for me, I had success. When it wasn’t broken down, I didn’t.
Simple.
You ready for the coolest part???
When you break down a goal into it’s smallest parts, you start to generate small wins, and these small wins lead to momentum, and consequently more belief!!!
Goals and Belief are intimately intertwined.
Post football, my challenge hasn’t been setting big, massive goals. It’s been believing that I could accomplish them!
When you believe in a goal, you will break it down to exactly what you need to do DAILY. So I set big huge massive goals, and unconsciously didn’t believe in them, so I never broke them down.
Don’t get me wrong, we must set goals that challenge us, but we must see that path to accomplish them.
If you set a goal too big, it can be too daunting because progress isn't noticeable. Or you set an unrealistic time frame.
It may be a three, five, or ten year goal, and you expect it to happen in one year.
Daily, small steps repeated consistently equate to massive success, but they must be paired with a clearly defined goal.
So therefore how do we set goals that we believe in for 2018??
Start with this:
Identify the challenge you want to solve.
Make a list of what you need to do to fix it.
Do it!
Remember, small wins equate to increased belief. So the key is #3: ACTION.
"Studies have documented that individuals with clear, written goals are significantly more likely to succeed than those without clearly defined goals." Link to full article.
Like Nike, JUST DO IT.
You don’t have to be good to get started, but you do have to get started to get good.
So decide what it is you want to change about your life, write it down, break it down, schedule it, and just get started.
One day, or day one. You decide.
I believe in you and I’m on this journey beside you!
Let’s make 2020 our best year yet!!!
Your Friend,
Nate
Is health and/or fitness one of your goals for 2019?
If so, my gift to you is this Game-Ready Game Plan to help you hit those goals!