Today is the most hopeful and optimistic day of the year.
This is great!
Whatever goals or resolutions you set for yourself, I'm excited for you!
We're all trying to improve ourselves, and even though things haven't gone our way in the past, we hope this time It will be different.
Musician Nick Cave defines hope as “optimism with a broken heart,” and I think that's so true. When change is so difficult, we are all trying to be different.
If you're trying to start a new exercise habit or change the number on the scale this year, I salute you. Setting a goal for change is highly commendable.
But to give ourselves the best chance of achieving our goal, we must combine the goal with some self-reflection and self-awareness.
Here are TWO questions you should ask yourself as you start 2025…
Question 1: What's different this time?
I'm proud of you for starting over.
So what is different about this initiative?
If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always had.
The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.
If you choose the same goal or strategy you've tried (unsuccessfully) in the past, the result will be the same: “Why can't I get myself together?” Another year lost with the question.
Be aware of what's different this time!
“Don't go on diet
Something must be different this time:
- Make fewer changes.
- Choose ONE goal and focus on it.
- Choose a different exercise routine.
- Choose a different diet or nutritional change.
- Choose a different time of day to exercise.
- Recruit a friend to join you so you don't have to do it alone.
- Do the new behavior you want useful or necessary.
Prove to yourself that you have learned from your past attempts. Don't let past failures be in vain; They showed you what doesn't work for you.
Try something different this time!
Question 2: What are you afraid of?
You're full of momentum right now, and that's great.
But after three weeks, life will change and something will go wrong.
What was your tendency when such a situation occurred in the past?
We ask everyone NF Coaching Client Before we start, ask, “What are you most annoyed about?”
This answer is something they are aware of from past attempts:
Will you stay busy and decide to “take a break until things slow down”? Great! Now you know that when that little voice in your head says this, you can prepare for it, plan to do something different, and decide not to. to have To listen to that voice in your head.
Are you going to have a bad day and get completely derailed? Great! Now you know that you can forgive yourself when you have a bad day and move on immediately, without looking back with anger or guilt.
Will you give up even if you really really really want to move forward? Great! It happens to all of us when motivation wanes after a few weeks. Take into account Addition of the Ulysses Pact hedge against your weaknesses or make a bet with a friend to hold you accountable.
NF Coach Matt Myers recently Mental Golf Podcast with Josh Nichols – and at 24:30 into the episode, Matt points out to Josh something that surprised him:
“Before we started, you told me, 'I know I'll HARD my way out of the doors, but in about 3 weeks I'll be burned to ashes and disappear.'
So I said, 'Thanks for letting me know,' and I had all these alerts and alerts ready to contact you again and again around day 21!”
Josh had the self-awareness to know where he would make mistakes in the future, he and Coach Matt planned for it and tackled the challenge together.
Since then, they have worked together for two months (and counting) and Josh has only missed a single day of check-in, and missing a day did not cause Josh's normal “all or nothing” behavior to kick in!
This time MAY be different
We all set out to change, and even when we are self-aware…
We often bite off more than we can chew:
Our goals and hopes often outweigh the reality that we are fallible, busy, and complex people who live unpredictable lives.
No problem!
If we are aware of these things, if we can try differently… then even if this happens Next If your attempt doesn't work either, we can cross that strategy off the list of potential successful paths and try again.
That's what life is all about: try, fail, adjust, restart.
-Steve
Notes: If you don't want to go on this journey alone, I would be honored if you would check it out. NF Coaching Program.
Our coaches are amazing and we would love to help you reach your goals. We've received tons of sign-ups in the last few days, which makes me really excited to help a lot of new people.
