New Year’s Resolutions-Please Don’t!

Tomorrow is the day lots of people make their resolutions for the year.  If you are one of them, I hope you are 100% sure you want to change before you make that resolution.

Think about it for a minute.  How many New Year’s resolutions have you made in your life versus how many have you successfully accomplished?  Resolving to change, followed by trying and failing, followed by a new set of resolutions that starts the cycle of trying and failing again is crazy!  As a matter of fact, the National Institute of Health has defined it as “false hope syndrome”.

But really, why do you think so many New Years’ resolutions fail?

After all these years of coaching people in the fitness and weight loss industry I think I have identified why.

Let me start with a story:

I was talking to a potential client and I asked her on a scale of 1-10, 10 being very badly, how badly did she want to lose weight? 

She said oh about a 6 or 7. 

I asked why just a 6 or 7 why not 10 or more?  She said because changing is too hard. 

I told her I didn’t think I was the right coach for her.  She was so surprised and asked me why? 

You might be thinking…. what??? You would turn a client away?

Hell yes!

Look, I know I can teach my clients how to lose weight.  But I want them to keep that weight off.  And if my clients are going to make a permanent change, their desire for change needs to run so deep that they rate themselves at 10 or above.  Because permanent change takes place between our ears.

That’s why I say, before you set a New Year’s resolution, be 100% honest with yourself.

Ask yourself, on a scale of 1-10 how deeply do you desire that resolution?  And remember, the difficult nature of making changes means that you will likely be putting in effort that will take you beyond the point of it being inspiring or fun.

There’s no point in setting the same resolution you’ve set for years, only to end up feeling down and disappointed in yourself.  You deserve better.

So this year why not give yourself the break you deserve and skip the resolution.  Instead take the time to know what change you deeply desire. Chances are once you feel that desire so deep in your soul, you will be able to craft a road map for change that honors your desires.

Wishing you love, joy, good health and laughter,