Setting Yourself Up for Success in 2017

This post is from one of our Vintage Partners, Nick Brattain, who is trainer and owner of Brattain Sport Performance. This post was originally published at Brattain Sports Performance.

With the new year here everyone is setting their New Year’s Resolutions. Many of these resolutions will center on personal improvement, whether that is weight loss, quitting a bad or self-destructive habit or spending more time in self-improvement habits. No matter what your resolution it will take a great amount of will power and persistence to either stop a current habit or form a new habit. The best way to ensure success with your resolution is to have a strategy. In this post I will talk about a few tips to incorporate when working toward your resolution. 

The first place to begin with any goal is to outline the specific details of the goal. What specifically are you looking to achieve? Really think about this question. It is not enough to say I want to read more in 2017. Why do you want to read more? Is it because you are looking to gain more knowledge in a certain area? If so, should you be looking for podcasts, discussions or potential courses on this area of study? How will you measure the success of this resolution- quantitatively, qualitatively? It is important to understand how you will measure your progress. This cannot be something that is a simple pass or fail. You can’t expect to wander through the year and evaluate at the end whether you passed or not. You must have points to measure your progress and adjust the route or stay the course based on your measurements. What is the time frame of your resolution? Set a time-frame for yourself. Again, you do not want to be wandering aimlessly until you hit your final destination. You need to know what time frame you are shooting for so you understand how to strategize and measure your progress within that timeframe. Is this something that is truly achievable in the time that you have allotted? By answering these questions you can begin to draw out a resolution that has some substance to it which will better allow you to strategize the fulfillment of this resolution. 

After you have answered these questions and formulated your resolution, write it down. Put the written goal in your purse or back pack. Write the goal on your mirror in the bathroom. Place the goal on the dashboard of your car. Tell your closest friends and family members about your resolution and its details. You need to have accountability partners in this. This resolution needs to be at the forefront of your mind and many of your decisions will be affected by it. If your resolution is indeed to lose weight, then margaritas every Thursday night with the girls may not be the best idea. So when the girls ask you Wednesday afternoon at work you need that reminder on your desk that this will not help you in your pursuit. 

Above, I mentioned that you should involve your friends and family in your resolution. We never want to disappoint those closest to us. By telling those around us it helps create a network of people who are cheering on our success and constantly checking in our progress. This makes it hard to back out. You also need to feel like this is the only way. There should not be a second option of turning back. When you have the ability to turn back and drop your resolution it makes it that much easier to do so when things are tough. 

Finally, think about potential pitfalls. Where will it be tempting to turn back or fall back in your old ways? You need to strategize ways to prevent this. If it is a local fast food spot on your way home from work then plan a new route home. If your resolution is to read more often, but you feel too tired at the end of the day plan to wake up earlier or set aside time in the middle of the day to read. If you know a specific night of the week tends to be harder than the others to maintain your resolution then plan something with friends who are encouraging for that evening to help you in your pursuit. 

A habit is very hard to create or break and even harder to maintain that new lifestyle. You are attempting to change your lifestyle. This is not something that is done easily, or even done alone. Have a strategy. Have people around you. Prepare yourself in every way possible for success. 

If your New Year’s Resolution is, indeed, to lose weight, get back in shape, or to take your competition to the next level contact us at Brattain Sports Performance. We are here to help in this process no matter to what degree of involvement you would like us to have. We can set you on the path toward your goal or even walk with you as your progress through this journey. Give us a call today and let’s talk about the next steps…

For more info or to contact Brattain Sport Performance visit brattainsportsperformance.com.