4 STEPS TO LASTING CHANGE IN 2017

Okay, okay – I know this looks like another resolution blog for the new year. The fitness industry is famous for these. But rather than set generic objectives like losing weight or making more money, we are going to dig a little deeper.

You know it and I know it… many people lose site of their resolutions by the middle of February. It’s just not realistic to make wholesale, drastic lifestyle changes out of the blue. If our resolutions aren’t grounded in reality, we might just be setting ourselves up for failure. So I want to talk about something a little different – a new you for the new year.

 To have a chance at lasting change, we need to understand why we want to make the change. When times get tough and the busyness of life distracts us, where are we going to find our motivation? We will find it in our WHY of course!

But sometimes, trying to think of a why leads us to some pretty deep places. It can be difficult to navigate, so let’s break down the concept into more manageable steps.

Step One – Set a Theme

I was on a fantastic Facebook Live session with TODD DURKIN yesterday. He asked us to set a theme for the year. He also asked if this was our last year on earth, what would we want our legacy to be?

To come up with your theme for the year, you might ask yourself the following questions:

How do I want to feel?

What do I want to bring to those around me?

What is most important to me?

These questions helped me come up with my theme for the year: Inexplicable Joy.

At the very least, they can help us create a framework for our decisions.

Step Two – Take charge of your calendar

If you don’t make plans for your life, other people are going to make them for you. That is unless you take charge of your calendar and learn to say no to commitments and distractions that don’t align with your larger goal.

“In order to say no, you have to be committed to a bigger yes.” 

– Michael Hyatt 

Yes, there are seasons of life where some things are going to take precedence over others. Our fitness and health should always be pretty high, but work and family commitments can take us off track for a time. That’s ok. It’s just important that we keep the big picture in mind, shake it off and get back on the wagon as soon as we can!

Step Three – Start the night before

Your success tomorrow begins tonight. You have to start preparing for a successful day the night before. Planning your top three objectives for the day and having a morning routine is a great way to move the needle.

“If you win the morning, you win the day.” 

– Tim Ferris 

Step Four – Get comfortable being uncomfortable

As soon as you start changing your routine, you will encounter some discomfort. This could be in your muscles after exercise, or in your heart after you’ve put something you value on the line. Everything exciting and worthwhile in life happens just a little beyond your comfort zone.

When we feel uncomfortable, it’s tempting to pull back – but don’t! This is where the magic happens!

Fear is part of the discomfort, but it’s normal. Learn to expect it. Then learn to accept it. Notice the fear; acknowledge the fear, then go for it!

Many books have been written on the subject of self-improvement and goal setting – but I truly believe that if you live according to these three steps, you will slowly start to see a new you take shape. Don’t let 2017 be a year of unrealized resolutions; let this be the year that long-term change takes root in your life! The process might not be comfortable, but it will be worth it!