2018 is here… we know what that means.

Resolution Time

Let’s talk about how to make those babies stick and have you succeeding at what you are wanting to accomplish.

How about we take a look at what you want. I am going to use the example that so many people say every Jan 1st at 12:01 am. I want to lose weight this year! 

Here is what I have my clients do.

Step 1:

Define what you mean by losing weight and how is that going to affect your life. So let’s take a scale from 1 to 10. 10 being you have hit your goal and everything is as close to perfect as it can get. You wouldn’t change anything and 1 is the opposite.

Take out a piece of paper and write out what your 10 looks like. Add as many details as possible.

• Think about your reasons for wanting to lose weight.
• How will your life be different when you have lost weight?
• Will you wear different clothes?
• Be more active?
• Will you be healthier and if so, in what ways?
• How much weight will you lose?
• How will you know things are different?
• What will you be doing?
• What food will you be eating?
• Are there certain workouts you will be dominating?

Step 2:

Now, thinking about that scale of 1 to 10 and after defining your 10, where would you rate yourself on that scale today?

Step 3:

Let’s say you gave yourself a 4. Great! We can work with any number you select. What is a small step you can add to your life that will take you towards your 10? We just want to move to a 4.5.

Perhaps it is adding in 1 piece of fruit a day. Fantastic. That is an achievable action.

Also, be aware of what will take you backward… to a 3.5.

Step 4:

The plan is to eat 1 piece of fruit a day. So we want to set up a trigger to remind you to do this.

This trigger can be as simple. Let’s say you go to the store on Sunday and buy 7 pieces of fruit. Now when you get home, you put those fruit in a bowl and place it somewhere that will be in your line of sight. Perhaps this is on the counter near your keys, the table where you eat, or right next to the coffee maker.

Some people like to set a positive statement and reminder on their phone as well. “Hey beautiful, eat your apple so you can do that hike with that gorgeous person you know that goes hiking!”

You know you have until Saturday to eat all of those little gems that bring you closer to your 10.

Other triggers could be putting your tennis shoes in front of the door or right next to your bed so you put them on first thing and go for your walk, run, dance or whatever movement you are planning.

Also, if you are one of those people who talk yourself out of doing your action step as you are thinking about doing it. Instead, try the 5 second rule. Decide you are going to do your action step, count down from 5 and then take your action. Bam! Look out new you, the old you is history.

Step 5:

Celebrate nailing this action and getting closer to your goal. And I mean go all out like a 4-year-old when you tell them they are getting to do something cool.

Step 6:

Once you have conquered your last action step, you can then plan the next action that will take you even closer to your 10, in this case, it would be to the 5. And then repeat steps 3-6.