Why New Year Resolutions Are No Longer A Thing…
Talking to my clients the past few weeks i’ve learned that i’m in good company with no longer jumping on the new year resolution band wagon. Why are resolutions no longer in? Well perhaps it’s because they don’t work for most people. A resolution was an idea where people would get to start over or start new Jan 1st. To become a different person, usually a better or more enhanced person. The truth is people would make a list of resolutions that were too grand or too far way from the person they actually are. The person they wanted to be or become but not who they are. People are capable of change but not over night.
This is why clients are referring to yearly goals instead and if they are serious about them they will make them SMART goals. SMART goals is not a new concept but they do work and having this mindset instead of resolutions seems to be helping people. Goals seems more attainable, more digestible than resolutions.
S.M.A.R.T stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time. If you make goals without thinking of these 5 you wont be very successful. If you really want to check a goal off your list here is the cheat sheet, the plan to get there and make it happen!
Specific- Pullup
Measurable- pass or fail
Attainable- yes
Relevant- will make me feel strong and prove I can do something I never thought was possible
Time-6 months
Above is the cheat sheet completed in the most basic, simplified way.
My specific goal was a single pull up. It was easy to measure as its pass/fail. Im healthy with no shoulder injuries so theres no reason to assume anything other than it is attainable. Relevance, this one is difficult because sure its not required of my body to do this, but its something I wanted and a personal want for myself is relevant. Its the purpose behind the goal. I knew being able to do 1 pull up would make me feel strong and so proud that I achieved something I deemed as nearly impossible. I would watch my fellow trainers do several as if every person could do them. I wanted to feel like I was on their level. I looked up to them.
Timeline was the hardest to set. I decided 6 month of training at least 3x a week of upper body pull up work. In the end it took me 8 months but setting a timeline was essential to keeping me on track and not giving up. Making the timeline reasonable so i haad the time to work up to it and not rush the process.
I used this same cheatsheet for running my first 5k post surgery. Something I never thought I could do even after surgery…but I did it! Ran a 5k without walking. I was so proud and still am.
Below is a non fitness smart goal so you can see how it applies to other areas.
S-Trip to Ireland
M-create budget of how much to save for it, overestimate this number
A-yes!
R-brother’s wedding is there
T-8 months until the trip
I have a specific goal and timeline and then i have to sit down and do the research to see what my budget needs to be at minimum. Once I have that figure I can divide it by 8 and save that amount each month. Of course since things have to be booked ahead of time I will use my savings to purchase now and make note of how much to replenish later. This will also help me budget for spending money while i’m there. I will know how much I spent in bookings and how much i want the totla trip to cost me in the end to save the difference.
New Year is a great time for New Goals, but if you really want to achieve them make them SMART and don’t choose too many, you can always add new ones!
2024 Goals:
Save for Ireland
Train for a 10k
Pick 1 new good thing for me per month
Dry Jan
Meatless Mondays in Feb
Book club w J in March
Pickleball in April
etc…
