Am I Willing?
The first month of the year has come to a close, and with that, so have most people’s New Year’s resolutions. According to the New York Post, most people begin to waiver on their resolutions as early as the second Friday in January. This year, that date was January 10th. That means that the majority of the population made it only 10 days with their resolutions intact… I’ll say that again… 10 DAYS.
For most people, the reason for this is because they set unrealistic expectations without a clear and concise plan to see it through. They also don’t recognize the kind of dedication it takes to accomplish their goals. If it was easy, you would have done it already!
The good news is, you don’t have to wait until 2021 to get yourself on track. In fact, you don’t even have to wait until Monday. You can start right here, right now. However, before you begin again, I suggest a change in your mindset. The following 3 words have been very powerful in my life, and I believe they can be for you too…
AM I WILLING?
Most people approach resolutions by saying “I WANT.” I want to lose weight. I want to exercise more. I want to eat healthy. I want to save money. Well of course you do! Who doesn’t want to lose weight?? Who doesn’t want to save money?? But this way of thinking about things implies that someone is just going to hand you your results. It suggests an easy way out when in fact, the things we resolve every January 1st are generally the HARDEST things of all!
So going forward, I challenge you to instead ask yourself, “AM I WILLING to do what it takes to achieve this goal?” This simple philosophy can be applied to all things and puts it into a perspective that recognizes the hard work it will take to accomplish your goal. Let’s use losing weight as an example. Before you set this resolution, ask yourself ARE YOU WILLING TO DO WHAT IT TAKES TO LOSE WEIGHT? And furthermore, are you willing to do all the things that come along with that?
Are you willing to give up sugary foods? Even if that means no more sugar in your coffee? Even if it means passing on your child’s birthday cake?
Are you willing to order a salad when you go out to a restaurant?
Are you willing to throw away the food in your pantry that will derail you?
Are you willing to meal prep every Sunday?
Are you willing to bring your own lunch to work instead of ordering out?
Are you willing to work out 3x or more a week? Even if it means you have to get up and hour earlier each day?
Are you willing to cut back on alcohol?
And so on, and so on, and so on…
This phrase helps to highlight EXACTLY what it will take to accomplish your goal. It can also be a powerful way to keep you on track. Before a cheat meal, ask yourself “Am I willing to throw away a week of progress to eat this cheeseburger and fries?” If the answer is YES… eat your cheeseburger guilt free! And if the answer is NO, then order the sensible salad and stay the course. In this way, the phrase can also be very liberating!
If you are ready to start over, begin by writing down your list of questions like the ones above, then answer YES or NO to each. Understand that the more No’s you have, the slower the progress will be, but that doesn’t mean it has to be an all or nothing! If you are resolution is to save money, you may be willing to take the extra time to pack your lunch each morning, but you are NOT willing to give up your daily Starbucks. Either way, if you change your mindset and give yourself measurable steps toward your goal, you are WAY more apt to be successful.
Only 8% of Americans actually accomplish their New Year’s Resolutions… will one of them be you?