We’re a week into 2020, do you have your resolutions in place?

Don’t worry, me either.

I won’t lie, I was thinking about how I have things I would like to accomplish in 2020 and started to panic that I haven’t had the chance to get these things written down and planned out. The new year is running away without me and it’s going to be too late to make my resolutions!!

Then I stopped myself and realized how silly I sounded. Is this you too? Do you only set resolutions or major goals in the new year? Does it always have to be a Monday or the beginning of the month to start a new fitness program or eating pattern? WHY???

Let’s be honest, if we set resolutions at the beginning of January, most of the time they’ll be nonexistent by February. Why do we let that happen? I won’t argue that the new year feels like a great symbol for a fresh start, but we need to revisit those resolutions on a regular basis to assess our progress, what’s working, and what’s not. If it helps, stop calling them resolutions and start referring to them as goals. This might help us to think of these endeavors as an ongoing effort rather than just something to focus on in the new year.

There are a few things about goals and resolutions that I want to share to help you make the most out of the changes you plan to make in 2020.

1. Be specific. Some people state that they simply want to get healthier, get stronger, gain a new skill… but what exactly do you wish to accomplish? More specific examples could be to increase your back squat by 5 lbs, eat 8 cups of vegetables per day, or do 10 strict pull ups.

2. Now, what are you going to do to accomplish that? These tasks aren’t just going to appear. What’s the plan? What strength program are you going to follow to increase your squat? What type of vegetables do you like? How will you prepare them? How much will you eat at each meal? How many times per week will you practice pull ups? There’s a lot that goes into planning a goal to ensure that you’re successful. When it comes down to it, by answering these types of questions and creating a plan, you’re setting yourself up for success.

3. Allow yourself to set goals throughout the year. Personally, I look at goals I have on a monthly basis. I would at least suggest looking at your goals quarterly. If you aren’t where you want to be, that doesn’t mean you’ve failed, maybe you just need more time than initially anticipated, or need a different approach. Remember, progress is progress. If your goal is a 300# squat, you started at 280#, and you’re only at 290#, you haven’t failed. You’ve made progress, we have to get out of the ‘all or nothing’ mindset.

4. Set goals for every aspect of your life. Family, personal, career, health…. Always be working towards something, even if it’s something small. We thrive on the sense of accomplishment, so make it something you work on regularly!

I do hope you’ll find success in whatever changes you’ve set out to make in 2020 or in your life in general. Even if you’re the type of person to set resolutions, take 10 minutes to sit down and assess what goals you have for yourself and plan if you haven’t already. And then, schedule time in the future to do the repeat the process.

If you’d like more information on goal setting, check out the previous posts goal setting serious I did!

1. Why is Goal Setting Important?

2. Make Your Goals SMART

3. Short Term Vs. Long Term

4. MANIFEST!