My Advice to You is . . .
Say Yes to Your New Year's Resolution
It is almost here. That time of year when I spend more time searching for a parking spot, fighting the crowds and hoping to find that one thing I’m looking for.
No, I’m not talking about the Christmas shopping season. I’m referring to the first week of January when my health club will fill to capacity with all those people who have resolved to lose weight, get in better shape, or even run a marathon. As a result, those of us who are regulars at my local YMCA find a lot more competition for our favorite treadmill, Stairmaster or elliptical machine.
The good news for me, and the other regulars, is that by early February most of those machines will be more available. The bad news for those who made all those goals for the New Year is that only a small number (some studies say 3%) will keep their resolution longer than one month.
How you can improve the odds for your New Year’s Resolution? Read on.
The estimates are that over 100-million Americans will make a New Year’s Resolution this year and every year. A large percentage of these will focus on self-improvement – losing weight (#1), getting in shape, quitting smoking, etc. Most fail because they do little more than make that declaration. To succeed they must believe in their goal and plan to achieve it. I call this saying “YES” to success – with YES broken down into three components; whY, Expect and Schedule.
When making a New Year’s Resolution, the first question to ask yourself is WHY. Is it to fit into that new bathing suit by the time spring break rolls around? Is it so you feel better about yourself and the way you look? Or is it to make sure you are around long enough to see your grandchildren graduate from college? Whatever the reasons, write them down. Then write down all the good things that will happen when you reach your goal. Take this list and display it where you will see it every day – on the bathroom mirror, on the refrigerator, or next to your computer at work. In other places, put photos that relate to your goal – the bathing suit, the vacation spot or your grandchildren. By reminding yourself on a regular basis, you will engage your brain’s goal-seeking mechanism. Neuroscientists refer to this as “cognitive control.” Your subconscious will help you act in a way that will move you toward your goal. The more you focus on your goals, the more your brain gets actively involved.
Next, EXPECT to reach your goal. Most resolutions fail because people don’t truly believe they will achieve success. Tiger Woods is the best golfer in the world, in part, because his father taught him to visualize what he wanted to achieve. On each green, Tiger “putts to the picture” by first visualizing the path the ball will take and then putting to make that happen. Other studies of athletes have shown that they perform better when they make positive, descriptive statements about themselves prior to competition. Keep telling yourself you will achieve your goal and you will. As Henry Ford once said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”
Believe it or not, the iPod or MP3 player you got for Christmas could help you with your New Year’s Resolution. Listening to up-tempo, positive music encourages movement. A recent study proved that listening to music while you workout can increase your endurance by up to 15%. In 2005, research at Fairleigh Dickinson University found that women involved in a walking program lost more weight and stuck to their routine longer when they listened to music as they walked. Alison Hoye, a certified fitness instructor with the National Institute for Fitness and Sport in Indianapolis, says music can serve as a “workout fuel.” You can also use relaxing music in the evening to help you get a better night’s sleep. This type of music can lower heart rate and respiratory rate, and has proven to help people sleep longer and more soundly. Without enough sleep you are more likely to gain weight and less likely to have the energy to get to the gym.
Finally, SCHEDULE the activities needed to achieve your goal. As the old saying goes, the road to you-know-where is paved with good intentions. Having the intent to get to the gym on a consistent basis is not good enough. You must schedule this time into your daily routine. Without making the time you increase the odds you won’t find the time. If your resolution is spending more time with the family, schedule a weekly family meeting to coordinate everyone’s calendar, and then plan a family activity. Better yet, plan multiple activities. Mark the days and times all the way through the end of March. Research indicates it takes 21 days to form a new habit – if the habit is done daily. If you plan to work out three days per week, it will take seven weeks to form this new habit (remember most people disappear from the gym by the end of January). By committing to a three month schedule, on April 1st you are much less likely to feel like a fool about that resolution you made on January 1st.
Rick Notter is a member of the Board of Directors of the Bloomington YMCA and author of Sound Advice: Music’s Effect on Life, Health and Happiness. Rick speaks to groups all over the country on ways to improve their lives and increase their productivity. To find out more, please contact Rick at Rick@BetterSoundAdvice.com or 812-335-1684. You can also sign up for the free Sound Advice monthly newsletter at www.BetterSoundAdvice.com.
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