My New Year’s Resolution and Goals

Happy New Year! May 2011 be your best year yet. I am confident this is going to be a great year for me.

Seems like there is always a lot of talk about New Year’s Resolutions and how they don’t hold up. Well, that is for good reason. Most don’t make it beyond two weeks. I hated going to the health club in January. It was always packed. Hold off until mid February and it was easier to move. By March, I had the place to myself.

That was, of course, back when I actually went to a health club. That was a habit fell by the way side for me as well. The operative word is “habit.” That is the problem with resolutions. They don’t become habits easily and are therefore quickly abandoned. The trick to lasting resolutions is to make it into a habit, part of your daily routine.

It is said that it takes 21 days to make a habit. I don’t know how long it takes to unmake a habit, but I could swear it is about 3 days. It hardly seems fair. All that work and struggle for so long, only to be undone in an instant. Which brings me back to discipline and why I am focusing on it this year. It takes discipline to make a habit and discipline to keep one.

The word “resolution” has many meanings. Usually this time of year, everyone is making “a formal declaration of intention.” However, I think we should include the meaning “the resulting state” when making the declaration. Begin with the end in mind and write it as if it were already complete.

2011 Resolution: I have achieved personal peace through disciplining myself to make small changes.

2011 Goals:

Physical: I have participated in a 5K run by Sept. 30. I weigh 200 pounds by October 31.
Strategies:
I exercise 5 times weekly, running 3 times and doing strength training twice.
I eat less by keeping a log and using small dishes.

Spiritual: I have read the New Testament and The Book of Mormon by Dec 31. I have read 4 other religious books by Dec. 31.
Strategies:
I read scriptures for 15 minutes each day, first the New Testament assignment for class and then the Book of Mormon.
I have read 15 minutes each day from the following books: Jesus The Christ, The Articles of Faith, Faith Precedes the Miracle, and The Miracle of Forgiveness.

Mental: I have completed 50 wood turning projects by Dec. 31. I have maintained an active blog through two posts weekly. I have a completed outline for my book by 6/30.
Strategies:
I write twice each week, either blog posts or on my book.
I turn wood each week, expanding my talent.

Over the coming weeks, I plan to report progress and discuss these goals and why I chose them. This method is intended to keep them on my mind and to hold myself accountable. And expect to see plenty of writing on discipline. It is the way I am going to get these things done this year. Thanks for your help.

Want to have help with your goals this year? there is something magical about sharing with others to help motivate yourself to keep working on them. Find a friend to work with or post them here. We will do what we can to be good goal buddies.