Why New Year`s Resolutions Fail!

Since my last blog post about focusing on the power of goals in the last post, I have heard countless people jump on the "New Year Resolution" bandwagon making lists of things that we know statistically they won`t achieve! I have overheard countless conversations about what people are going to "really try to do this year" - meaning of course they have attempted the same things last year (and probably the year before!)

If this sounds like you, then here is something very useful I came across from Mark Peysha  (Robbins-Madanes Training):-


"When I make a New Years Resolution, I convert it into a Game Plan. Why? Because Resolutions have a reputation for not happening, right? If you want a resolution to work, it needs to be focused, action-based, and strategic.

Focused: make it about changing ONE thing at a time. The more specific, the better.
Action-based: commit to DOING something measurable. Talk is cheap, action is priceless.
Strategic: you are changing an existing system in your life. Be smart about how you do it.

Let's take a typical resolution - for instance "I want to lose 10 pounds."
Now, let's make it focused and action based. You do this by asking yourself: what's ONE action I can take consistently this month to help me lose weight?

Feel the difference? You're focusing on ONE concrete action now, the action that will make the biggest difference. Now, most people trying to change their eating habits have a "weak point" in their day where their willpower fails them. You want to protect yourself from that. If you're going to change one thing, try changing that one weak point. Let's say that your weak point is that, when you get home from work, you too many cookies.
Resolution: "Stop eating so many cookies."

Great. That's a more focused resolution. So now let's set up a game plan.

Game plan: set up my life so that I don't eat cookies after work.
-> eat a quality protein meal and hydrate before coming home.
-> do something else that's enjoyable before coming back from work.
-> get rid of cookies in the house, stock up on quality snacks.
-> what need am I meeting by eating cookies? What's a better way to meet that need? Do that.
-> how can I celebrate every day, and every week, that I succeed (in a non-food way)?

See the difference? Here's another one.

Resolution: "I need to stop procrastinating and write my book."

Game plan: Commit to writing 2 pages of my book per workday, during a "ritual time" that will not change. If I fail to sit down and write for at least 30 minutes, as a consequence I will write a check for $10 to my favorite charity. The next time I fail to write my 2 pages, I write a check for $20, then $40, then $80, and so on. Eventually I'm either really motivated to write, or I'm helping a lot of people! Continue this until I have 100 pages. (This is a win-win strategy: either I write and help myself or I fail to write and help others). At 100 pages this game plan stops, and I shift to editing the book.

See the difference? Do you think you could you make one of your New Years Resolutions more powerful by converting it into a Game Plan? Absolutely."

It`s simple and it works. No excuses!