Welcome to 2016! Almost everyone will have at least one or two New Year’s resolutions because there is always something that everyone wants to accomplish. Everyone will have high hopes in thinking that in the New Year they will finally start that workout routine they have been putting off for too long, save more money to go on that vacation that is four years overdue, or even start a new job and really get your career on the right track.
People have these goals, but only eight percent of people actually achieve their New Year’s resolutions. EIGHT PERCENT!!! I will talk about the most common reasons why they fail and what you can do to make sure you are part of that percentage that actually prevails:
- Lofty Goals – Going over the top is probably the number one reason why people fail so often. They want to lose 60 pounds in the next year so they think they need to work out five to six times for 90 minutes in order to accomplish it. You are already setting yourself up for failure with that. How about setting two to three-month goals of five to ten pounds? That way those are more reasonable goals and you would only need to work out three or four times a week for 30-45 minutes in order to accomplish that.
- Time Management and Not Having a Plan – These two go hand in hand because most people do not actually sit down and plan out how they will manage their time in order to find out when and how they can get the time to work out in their schedule. If you honestly want to accomplish a goal of getting into better shape and to lose weight, you have to make sure you make time in order for this to work. Too many times people just don’t want to find time, or only do so for a few weeks or so and then they decide they are too busy and decide to give up. Sit down, make a plan, and manage your time wisely because you can find time but sometimes you just don’t know it yet.
- Giving Up too Easily – You found out you have time in your schedule to work out, you bought new running shoes, and you're ready to start working out. Two weeks into it and you are feeling great and everything is going as planned. Something comes up at work and you had to stay late or go in early at work and you miss your first work out. This issue at work has now caused you to miss your second workout of the week. I see this every year, but the truth is that it’s ok if you miss a few workouts. You won’t have to start back from the beginning, you just have to get back on it and get your feet moving again. It’s much easier than you think to get back into the groove; you just have to get your mind back into it.
- Going After Your Goals with No Help - In order to be successful in anything in life you need to have a great support system set up in place. If you have someone to help you hold yourself accountable, then that gives you the extra motivation to keep going. Your spouse, coworkers, relatives, or even a good friend are all you need to help you keep yourself motivated.
These are the most common reasons why people don't reach their fitness goals, but these issues can ruin many other goals. You need to be committed to achieving your goals or nothing will happen.
