A new year is upon us, and we all want to improve our lives. While I’m vehemently against typical New Year’s Resolutions as they are proven to fail, I do think it’s great to review your past year, be thankful for the progress you made, and recognize opportunities to make the year ahead even better.
Focus on What You Can Control
There’s plenty of uncertainty ahead (as always), but when we focus on what’s in our control, we make the best of whatever situation we find ourselves in.
This is a well known piece of wisdom, but I think it goes beyond the obvious application. For example, those who set New Year’s Resolutions (oof) unknowingly break this rule. Taking on a too ambitious goal means that instead of focusing on what you can control, you’re shooting for the moon and hoping you figure out how to get there along the way. This works fine for spontaneous travel, but not for behavior change.
Behavior change is not a matter of will or motivation, it’s a matter of consistency, ultimately determined by if your strategy is compatible with your current situation. Long-term change takes place deep in the brain’s subconscious through repetition, it isn’t a magical event that happens simply because you want to improve your life.
If you decide to make a change, it must be done with strategy and patience. The exception is if you already have a behavioral foundation in an area. For example, if you already work out every day, you can leverage that habit to take your fitness to the next level. Your ambition for the next year must match your current ability or else you will most certainly fail.
Be Clear and Specific About Your Plans
2022 for me is going to be focused on fitness, relationships, and business. Each of those can and should be broken down further.
Fitness: I want to lift weights at least 3x a week. This will be relatively easy because of my existing fitness habit. In addition, I will continue to consume at least one casein shake per day (as I’ve been doing).
Relationships: I want to join at least one regular social group, such as a sports league.
Business: I want to publish my 5th book early in the year, and a 6th one or a video course later in the year (maybe a shorter one).
Clear intentions help you see the specific steps you need to take, and that makes success more likely! General plans like “lose weight” or “lose X pounds” are insufficient because they don’t explain how you’ll do it. If you know the method, make the method your goal!
Be Steady: January 1st Feels Exciting, But That Energy Fades Quickly
I’m not trying to be a downer. This is simply the truth. January 1st isn’t materially different from any other day.
The problem with getting too hyped for the new year and all of its changes is that you may base your progress on that energy and excitement you feel. It’s okay to be excited, but remember that the really exciting thing is getting there; successfully improving your life.
I’ve experimented with many techniques, and I find that it’s best to get excited about being steady. This way, your consistency is the basis for your excitement, instead of your excitement being the basis for your consistency. It seems like a subtle difference, but trust me, it’s literally the difference between success and failure!
Think, “I’m going to show up every day, including today.” Then get excited about what that means over time.
Don’t think, “I’m so excited to change! For that reason, I’m going to show up!” This trains you to only show up when you’re feeling it.
If you follow these guidelines, I think you’ll have a great year and actually improve your life!
