We have often wondered why so many people wait until New Years to start their new resolutions, whether they are financial, personal, or health goals. In our Clinic, We have heard the most amazing excuses for not starting prior to the end of the year, “I just bought a carton of cigarettes, I have to finish them before I stop smoking.” “I might as well finish the sodas in my fridge before I stop.” “There is no point exercising now as I have so many parties to go to, I am just going to eat and get fat anyway.” The list literally goes on and on. There is a reason why resolutions don’t work. Sure people may metaphorically look at the New Year as a fresh start, a new beginning and, thus, feel mentally as if they are ready to make real change. We understand the mindset, just not the action. If something is important enough to change and your health is truly the most important thing to you, one can change in an instant at any time, New Years or not. Most people are just kidding themselves and use New Years as a crutch or an excuse.
You see, the reason why resolutions don’t work is they are not goals. Goals are completely different than resolutions. Resolutions are stated as “I am going to quit smoking in the New Year or I am going to start exercising in the New Year.” These are just statements without defined action steps. In fact, I have a close friend who works on the corporate level for a fitness company and they make more money in January than the rest of the year combined because all the “one time new years fitness customers” sign up for the year pay in advance to get a discount and never end up using their membership. He even went as far as to tell me that over 2/3 of their paying members haven’t used one of their gyms in over 90 days time. Goals are S.M.A.R.T. Specific, Measurable, Actionable, and Realistic, with a Timetable. Goals have purpose with defined action steps that lead to success. Most resolutions last a mere 14 days. Those that study goal setting and habits realize that a good habit takes a minimum of 21 days for success. Resolutions don’t work because they don’t last long enough to become a habit.
This year, write goals for the different areas of life. Each year I set Personal Health, Financial, and Family goals. We sit down as a team and set Office Goals. Each goal must have a purpose (the why you want to achieve this goal). Each goal must have action steps and they must follow the S.M.A.R.T rule. Make sure you are realistic, read your goals daily. In fact, only 1% of people have clearly defined written goals but almost everyone makes resolutions. Fortune magazine did a study many years ago of the top people in 100 different categories of business. They wanted to determine what made people rise to the top of their industry. Was it personality type, schooling, up bringing, or some other factor? What they found is the only thing every single person in the study did the same was each of them had written goals they referred to on a daily basis.
When you take your life and your health serious and make sure your success and health are a number one priority, you will write GOALS and ditch the RESOLUTIONS this year.