If excuses are an admission that something was not a priority and/or that we failed to prepare properly to address it, it stands to reason that some prior planning could alleviate the need for excuses. We typically hear countless excuses around mid-February.
All gyms are packed on January 1st. By mid-February, the vast majority of those new members will be gone, and you can once again have your pick of open stairclimbers and squat racks. Why? Most people who set goals or resolutions fail to see them through. Most people who wake up on January 1st, resolved to lose weight or save money, will not succeed. Most people will make a resolution to get in shape, but they fail to make a plan. They do not prepare, so when mid-February rolls around and they haven’t made any progress, they make excuses instead. Preparation can look like hiring a trainer, going to a group class or working out with a friend. Someone is far more likely to see results come February and then continue to stick with it if they have a plan.
WEEKLY CHALLENGE
Make a plan for 2024. Come up with goals for 2021. They should encompass your entire life. Do not just write down the goals. Spend all of January formulating how you are going to reach that goal. Writing down “lose 20 lbs” is utterly useless! How are you going to do it? What time frame? How will you measure it? What does success look like? What happens when you hit plateaus? Saying “get my black belt” is just as fruitless. How many days a week will you train? When will you review color belt curriculum, what do you need the most work on? Make personal goals, fitness, goals, financial goals, friendship goals, education/career goals, martial arts goals. This plan should be at least a few pages long.
– Written by Kumar Bandyo