The Secret to Making Resolutions That Stick

A brand new year is here, and resolutions are everywhere! Lose weight, get to the gym twice a week, find a better job or relationship, save money and watch less Netflix are just some of the vows we tend to make.

“This is going to be the year I do it … I’m going to change my life, just watch me,” we often say (at least to ourselves).

The question we need ask ourselves is how many times has this been the year that we lose weight, get fit and start to eat healthier? How many years has our motivation started at a rocket’s pace in January only to slow down to a turtle’s pace in February, with and all motivation gone by March? If the answer is once or more, please keep reading.

You want to know the “big secret” to sticking to your resolutions? Drum roll please… Do not quit, stop or give up on the resolution that you have set for yourself until you reach it. This groundbreaking method has been tested and proven throughout history, and results have shown it works every single time! This secret sounds pretty easy, but it’s not. Here are my top tips to help you reach the finish line:

1. REMEMBER: CONSISTENCY, CONSISTENCY AND MORE CONSISTENCY

In order to be successful, you have to show up and actually put in the effort. We often look at successful people and think their achievements happened overnight. That’s rarely the case; these people hustled, were disciplined and made sacrifices to reach the levels of success they achieved. They practiced habits day in and day out without fail.

It’s time to show up, put your hard hat on, lace up your workout shoes, pack a healthy lunch and start grinding.

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2. PACE YOURSELF

January 1st doesn’t mean you need to do two killer workouts, eat only veggies and drink a gallon of water every day. This is a process that takes time, energy, patience and a damn strong will. Start by just making small changes and build on these small changes each week. While I understand the desire to see changes now, losing weight, making better choices and getting in shape takes time. Avoid the early burnout by pacing yourself.

3. KEEP IT SIMPLE

There is no reason to be on a complicated path when simplicity works just fine. For some reason we like to make things complicated, but this make things harder than they need to be so don’t even go down that road. Pick a diet and workout plan that is simple and progressive — and follow it to a T.

4. RECOGNIZE YOUR SHORTCOMINGS

Take a step back and ask yourself and others who know you well if have you given an honest effort to changing your life in the past. Have you only been 70–80% committed? Most of us like to think we always do our best, but are we really doing that? Taking a deep look inside isn’t always easy, but if you have been coming up short with resolutions and goals, you have to ask yourself why. Commit 100% to making big changes and stop phoning it in.

5. MAKE IT FUN

My college track coach’s slogan was: “Run for fun and a personal best.” I think this slogan is a perfect reminder for all of us. Having fun is a key component to life and success. Having fun needs to be a priority in life!

Make chasing your goals fun, and you’ll find it’s just easier to be healthier. Setting personal bests or reaching the small goals we set for ourselves is key to keeping our motivation high. Improvement motivates us to push forward and reveal our capabilities. Don’t underestimate yourself; you are capable of more than you think! Setting personal bests and reaching your goals is also part of the fun.

The challenge is simple: DO NOT QUIT, DO NOT QUIT and DO NOT QUIT! One year from now, where will you be … setting the same old goals, or will you be checking the box that you reached the finish line? Will you then plan to raise the bar for 2018? The choice is all yours.

Written by Erik Taylor, a NASM-certified trainer who works with clients online to build their fitness and nutrition plans. He works with people at all levels, from first-time exercisers to weekend warriors and endurance athletes. Erik lives in one of the beach cities of Los Angeles with his wife and two daughters. Connect with Erik on Facebook, Instagram and Taylorsfitness.com.