Tola Performance: Newish Year Resolutions

Jason coaches professionals to help and support them throughout their season, working with clients to help them maintain a good head space and work on their personal development on and off the field.

Photograph by Emily Gordon

Newish Year Resolutions

How to start and finish the year!?

Jason enjoying Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life

January is the time a lot of people have ideas to make change or achieve goals. But by now in February some time, when this issue has been released, most of those actions and ideas will have waned into non-existence.

Not to say this has happened to everyone, but how often do we see it?! Whether it’s dry January, starting exercise, starting a business, going up a handicap, getting up earlier, whatever it is, when the January motivation starts to fade, what are we left with? Maybe an underlying feeling of guilt, a development of excuses, or a realisation of how it’s maybe harder than you first thought.

I understand that New Year’s resolutions are now over, but it would be ok/good to start something new now… Newish year resolutions are much more effective, you’re back in the grind, slogging it out in the trenches and more likely be making sober statements to yourself and others about what you will achieve this year.

10 potential reasons & solutions to why you aren’t sticking to your new year resolutions…

Problem 1: You’re in the wrong environment

Solution: Create an environment that supports your ambitions.

Problem 2: You haven’t done it enough to create a habit

Solution: If you start something new it needs to be done regularly and enough times for it to stick, some say 60 days. So, start something that you can do regularly and then stick at it until it becomes a habit.

Problem 3: You’re making it hard for yourself

Solution: Make it as easy as possible to do. If you want to eat healthily, only have good food in the house. If you want to get up earlier go to bed earlier.

Problem 4: You haven’t put enough thought into why are doing it

Solution: Don’t rush the decision to commit to something or get pushed into it. Consider the reasons you want to do something. How will it change your life for the better and is that important to you? If it’s important to you, there is more chance you’ll stick to it and be willing to commit.

Problem 5: Things get in the way

Solution: Before you start, identify the barriers, so you can plan to avoid or manage them. If you really want to achieve a new habit, you’ll do what’s necessary to avoid obstacles.

Problem 6: You went in too hard

Solution: Small actions over a long period of time create change. Make it as easy as possible, create small habits over time that are achievable and that lead to something great. For example, run for 100m every day for a week, then 400m everyday for a week, then a mile etc. Make it easy to start with and build slowly.

February is a great time to make newish resolutions

Problem 7: You’re not seeing any progression

Solution: The habit should create progress, for example if you plan to lose weight by eating better, plan the week of food/exercise and understand how you will achieve the goal. If you can’t see progression or it doesn’t give you some reward, then the motivation to continue will drop off.

Problem 8: It’s too uncomfortable, most things require an element of discomfort or hardship

Solution: Embrace the discomfort and know it’s part of the process.

Problem 9: You didn’t know what you were shooting for

Solution: Set a goal so you understand what you are heading towards.

Problem 10: You have no-one to share the trials and tribulations with

Solution: Find someone to compete with or someone to be accountable to.

Conclusion

Now is a good time to make a small change that will have big benefits over time. Daily habits are what make up the big changes. Consideration of what you change, how you will do it and what the barriers are all important things to consider.

Contact Jason on tolaperfomance@gmail.com www.tolaperformance.com