HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Its that time of year. We are coming to the end of 2012 and entering 2013. I am hearing it everywhere. You know what I mean. At holiday parties, the mall, the grocery store, and especially at holiday parties.
"This year I am going to get fit"
"I'm going to stop drinking"
"I'm going to eat better"
"I'm going to try that ____________ (fill in the blank) Diet"
"I'm going to get more sleep" (That one sounds like me)
"I'm going to lose 50lbs"
THE NEW YEARS RESOLUTION...
How many new years resolutions have you made in the past and kept (or haven't kept)? I have learned that when I focus on one thing I get it done. When I think about doing ten things at once I feel like jumping off a bridge and none of it gets done.
Narrow down your resolutions to one or two of the most important things on your list and then focus on those two.
Keep in mind that you should have very specific goals and a way to measure them. I have been getting people to write down SMART goals at the gym. Things they would like to accomplish physically, mentally, or otherwise.
The key is to keep them
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Realistic
Time oriented
Write them down and keep them in a place where you will see them every day. Mark it on your calendar. The due date and a weekly count down (4 weeks until I run 5 miles).
Here was one of mine. I wanted to do a Muscle Up (gymnastics movement) without kipping. I can do 10 of them with the kipping motion (its like adding a bit of momentum to help get you up). I wanted to hit one with control and no kip... The goal was to get one done before Christmas.
It was Specific (Slow and controlled muscle up)
Measurable (either I did it or I didn't)
Attainable (Sure I could do it if I could do kipping)
Realistic (Well it wasn't like going to the Olympics or anything and doing it there)
Time oriented (By Christmas)
Now that I had the SMART goal I needed to work backwards and put in some technical time each day to get this done and learn from my mistakes. This took a little while and I actually hit my goal over a week before Christmas.
Once you hit your goal make sure to put another SMART one in there. This will help to keep you progressing no matter what area the goal is in.
Happy Training
Paul
