Stop Making New Year's Resolutions


Stop Making New Years’ Resolutions
            We all know that not completing your resolutions for the new year is a cliche. Yet, Americans still sign up for that $40 per month gym membership, wasting their time, effort, and, according to finder.com, $1.8 billion. Therefore, instead of setting resolutions; spending time, effort, and money; and falling short of your resolutions by January 12th, follow the tips outlined below.

Image result for new year

1.      Don’t call them resolutions, call them goals.
Although as silly as it sounds, a simple name change can profoundly affect the psychology behind the word and your motivation toward achieving your goals.
2.      Keep in mind that discipline = freedom.
When dreading the fact that you have to go to the gym or cut down on spending, remember that discipline equals freedom. Jocko Willink, a podcaster, workaholic, author, and former navy seal, attributes his success to this motto. Take financial discipline for example, when you create a budget, stick to it, and reduce your monthly expenses, you will have more freedom to buy the things you want.
3.      Why do they have to be goals set for the new year? Do them NOW!!! Remember that consistency is greater than the amount of time you spend working on your goals.
Setting goals specifically for the new year is procrastination at its finest. Set aside five minutes a day of going to the gym. Don’t go all out because then you will not be able to keep up when the going gets rough. Set a small goal, and maintain the consistency of achieving it day in and day out. And even if you go to the gym with the initial intent of staying for five minutes, you are more likely to go for longer if you want.
4.      Do at least one thing that makes you uncomfortable every day.
David Goggins, an ultra-marathon runner, author, and super athlete, says that doing at least one thing that makes you uncomfortable can broaden your perspective on the world and allow you to see what unfortunate people have to deal with on a daily basis. In addition, this can become your accountability partner so-to-speak. When you really do not want to go for a run or write an article, you can tell yourself “Well, I did it yesterday, so why can’t I do it today.” More often than not, your desire to delay discomfort is simply weakness. Willink has even more insight on this topic. He says that the one thing you should procrastinate on is not going after your goals. If you really don’t want to run today, run anyway and see if you feel the same way tomorrow. Oftentimes, the only thing holding you back from achieving your goals is the little voice inside your head saying “Give up.” Don’t listen to it.
References
Americans spending $1.8 billion on unused gym memberships annually. (2019, April 1). Finder. Retrieved from https://www.finder.com/unused-gym-memberships
Goggins, D. (2019). David Goggins. Retrieved from https://davidgoggins.com/
Khalil, S. (2018, December 21). New Year’s resolutions last exactly this long. New York Post. Retrieved from https://nypost.com/2018/12/21/new-years-resolutions-last-exactly-this-long/
Willink, J. (2020). Jocko Willink. Retrieved from https://jockopodcast.com/
10 Top New Year's Resolutions for Success and Happiness in 2020. (n.d.). Fireworks. Print Advertisement. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/10-top-new-years-resolutions-for-success-happiness-in-2020.html



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