Make it! Break it!!
“There are only two options, make progress or make excuses.”
As we head into 2022, it is time to make resolutions for the new year. The most common resolutions for the adults are,
1. Doing more exercise
2. Losing weight
3. Saving more money
4. Improving diet
5. Quitting an addiction
While 57% people chose not to make a resolution and 20% of those who make it ended up breaking it. Only 10% people are able to conquer it fully.
The coolest thing about these resolutions is that they are all entered around a self-need, yet it is hard to sustain.
Why New Year resolutions fail?
Though there could be several reasons to list out, yet five principle reasons why new year resolutions fail are explained below.
1. One doesn’t know the WHY behind it
The biggest reason why most of the New Year’s resolutions fail: you know what you want but you do not know why you want it. You want to become fit, leaner, or be healthier… but WHY is your goal important to you? For example: Do you want to be fit so you look smart enough to attract an interesting life partner towards you? If your why is compelling enough, you might figure out the means to achieve it. However, if the why is unknown or weak in conviction, you are likely to lose it.
2. Focusing on the result instead of process
The Bhagavad Gita says “karmanyev-adhikar-aste, ma-phaleshu-kadachana” meaning, you have to focus on the duty or the process and not the end result. To grow a fragrant flower, you do not buy the best perfume to spray on the plant but instead, through filth into the roots and the plant blooms the flowers on its own. Likewise, for a fit and lean body, one has to work out hard and sweat it out. Getting those six pack abs is a consequence that won’t happen by looking into the mirror or measuring twice a day with a measuring tape.
3. Desiring to covet what doesn’t belong
A fallacious desire for things you do not deserve at the moment will only end up in despair. Dream big, but at the same time work on yourself to make yourself deserving and capable of receiving. What isn’t yours shall not be and what you deserve shall come your way eventually.
4. Want it now or never
Things take time to achieve and you have to work your way up. Lot of patience and perseverance is required to inculcate a habit and pursue it diligently. It takes a minimum of three weeks for a new habit to sink in. If one starts expecting results instantly, it becomes overwhelming and there is a larger tendency to quit at the first sign of failure. Over thinking and trying to do too much at a time will not yield much fruitful results, yet a focused approach to do that one most important thing at a time, shall yield results.
5. Lack of accountability
Most resolutions about the self-change are so personalized and individualistic that no other person knows about it. In that case, you should try to look for an accountability partner or create a support group who can help constructively to achieve the objective. For example, if the resolution is about changing food habits, then unless entire family is prepared to make some changes, it is not feasible for one person alone to swim alone upstream.
Do these three things to succeed with new year resolutions
1. Know the value behind your WHY
Each one lives a life around self-perceived value system. One has to know what holds importance in one’s life. Once a person knows what holds importance in life, it becomes easier to connect with the “WHY” because now that ‘why’ has the emotional connection with the values that one holds dear.
2. Change the Peg
Here, peg is not a glass of your favorite drink but a wooden peg that is used in place of nails to hold your wooden furniture. In olden days, when iron nails were not invented, bamboo splinters or pegs were used to keep the furniture together. They hammered another fresh peg through it when it decayed or got worn out. Change the peg means replace an addictive habit with a new one. I got addicted to gulping a large mug of black coffee every hour. I knew I had to cut it down to two a day, but how? I changed the peg. I bought an electric kettle to heat water, and whenever I had the urge for another coffee, I took a mug full of boiling water and sipped it until the last. Initially, I felt weird, but gradually this new habit took over. It actually helped me to cut down on coffee. This method is useful to replace and old habit with a new one and particularly useful for giving up any addiction.
3. Set up S.M.A.R.T. goals
For getting success, it is important that the goals are S.M.A.R.T. i.e. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound.
The goals have to be specific and precise. Generalized goals are quick to crumble as they lack in conviction. Specific goals spell out the targets clearly hence success rate is higher. If the target is to lose weight, then specify how many kilos over how many months.
What can be measured, can be optimized. One should take down notes regularly to see the progress. Notes like waist measurement, weight chart, gym attendance can help one keep track of the small progress being made week after week and this fuels the drive to keep working at it.
The goals have to be achievable for the person. It is important to set up a small goal first and then upgrade it subsequently after achieving the first stage rather than set up a huge goal at the outset. Huge targets can overwhelm quickly and result in failure.
The goals should be realistic. Unrealistic targets are works of fantasy that cannot be achieved at the outset. Assess the practical feasibility before setting those goals. For example, one can save certain percentage of one’s income but to say that one would save 70% of it, would be unrealistic.
The goals must be time bound. Open ended goals without a deadline to finish are not achievable. Have a specific deadline to review the progress.
With these practical learnings, you are all geared up for success with your new year resolutions for 2022. Wish you a very happy and prosperous new year.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Vikram Khaitan is four times Amazon #1 bestseller author. His latest book “SEEDS OF ADVICE TO SAIL THROUGH HARD TIMES” is wonderful resource to use the specific problem solving techniques from the age old tried and tested Bhagavad Gita to deal with the negative emotions and strengthen the inner self. Click Here to read more.
