In the spirit of the new year, it’s only appropriate to chat goals and resolutions. While my last blog was all about the most common trap that keeps people from actually making their fitness resolutions a reality, I wanted to make sure we covered the process of actually creating those resolutions, whatever they may be, and my best tips to see them through.

Call me old fashioned, but I am a huge proponent of physically handwriting things down. And the reason is that writing takes a lot more focus than typing, so whether it’s a goal or a grocery list, writing it down with pen and paper makes it that much more memorable. Personally, putting words onto tangible paper also makes things more real. While typing things on your phone can be convenient, it’s all too easy to close out the notebook app and forget about them as you go through your day to day. Writing it down gives you a physical document that you can periodically check in on, which I have found to be the most important tactic to staying on track with your goals.

Writing down the goal sets that intention and puts it out into the universe; creating a strategic plan puts it into action. I’ve always believed in the law of attraction—that “like attracts like” and when you’re serious about what you want, it will happen-- but it is a 2-way street, and you have to do your part. So, as you’re listing out your resolutions, leave a good amount of space between each one to lay out a detailed plan of action and take notes on your progress throughout the year. Break it down into steps that will lead you to success and plan them out so that you can accomplish it by the year’s end.

Some goals may be very audacious, and it might take longer than a year to accomplish. That is totally fine, and I encourage you to have long term goals. I myself have had many goals over the years that have reappeared on each list. At the end of the year I carry those goals over onto the next list and reformulate the plan towards accomplishing them, starting from where I left off in my progress from the previous year(s). 

For example, I usually have about 12-15 resolutions on my list crossing all aspects of my life, and I typical accomplish 75-90% of my goals, depending on the year. I almost always have a few that carry over to the following year, with some on my list for 4-5 years before I was finally able to cross them off. My last tip is to keep the goals themselves very broad and save the details for the notes below: what that resolution actually means to you, how it ties into your “why” and greater life goals, etc. This gives you room to continually define and refine your goals more specifically throughout the year as you get closer to achieving them and thus understanding their true significance.

From what I’ve observed, people are generally pretty good at staying on track for the first 30 days or so. But when spring rolls around, then summer, and before we know it it’s the following summer, I think that it is more common than not that the hustle of life and daily dramas pull us off course, causing us to lose track of ourselves and forget what it is that we even want. So by taking the time to think deeply, writing down the things you need to accomplish to improve your life, and review that list monthly, weekly or even daily, you will be constantly reminded of what it is you want and what is important to you. 

One other major tip I have for creating your resolutions is to make them known. Share them with others, and by doing so you create more accountability. That’s why, in creating our 90 Day Challenge launching this month, I wanted to make sure that trackability and accountability were of the essence. It’s those first 30 days that we see our goals and say, “no problem,” but it’s the next 30 days, and the 30 days after that where we have to push ourselves. But breaking it down, day by day, and having the guidance and support of a shared community to keep us accountable--that’s where the magic happens.

Commit to your resolutions today and sign up for the 90 Day Challenge launching January 10, 2019. Don’t forget to join the P.volve Streamers Facebook group and connect with thousands of others committing to greater health and fitness in 2019.

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