It’s the time of the year where many people set new resolutions and make promises to change some things or habits about themselves. But the reality is that many fail in spectacular fashion. Whatever habits people decide to change, they ultimately revert to their old selves in a few weeks or a few days.
The most common transformation people seek is starting a diet or going to the gym. Many gyms begin to see spikes in membership by the end of the year. Gyms become crowded for a few weeks in January and February, but the crowds begin to dwindle eventually and only a few new members truly stick to their goals. The reason is very simple, new resolutions are almost impossible to achieve. They involve drastic changes and involve too many elements.
In other words, many try to achieve in a day or two what it takes to accomplish in years. The reality is that you don’t have to wait until the new year to seek change. You can start anytime, the next day, or even the next minute. It’s about having the conviction to change something about yourself. You must really want it.
So, how should you begin?
“Begin With the End in Mind”
I came across this statement when reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. This notion didn’t dawn on me until I began to reflect on the changes I began to make over the last few years, whether going to the gym, going to bed early and waking up at dawn, or writing down on my journal daily.
When you try to convince yourself to change, you must think of the end before anything. How do you, as Stephen Covey explains, want your life to end? Or rather, what do you hope to be like at the end of your age? How do you imagine your perfect ending (if there is one)? Now, all you need to do is start making small changes that will allow you to be the person you want to become. As you continue to make changes, you always need to keep the end in mind.
Start with Small Habits
When you start your journey of change, you must keep in mind that whatever you decide to change, it should be minuscule. It must be manageable and shouldn’t require a lot of effort on your part. If you decide, for instance, that you want to begin reading, you can start with one page a day, or even a paragraph. Very simple. But you can increase the length and time gradually.
Or if you decide to go on a diet. You don’t want to completely change your diet immediately because that would be physically and mentally exhausting. Instead, you should begin by substituting part of your meals with healthier options, which would not only allow you to lower your calories, but also allow your taste buds to grow accustomed to new food and taste. As a result, both your body and mind will gradually adapt.
Be Consistent
If you were to go around and ask people who committed to their new resolutions, many will tell you that the most difficult aspect of change is consistency. After all, you can process the change in your mind at any moment, but the key is to transfer the idea into action and maintaining it for the rest of your life. This requires more than simple thoughts.
There will come many times where you want to abandon your habits and goals, but it’s during those times that you must persist. Sticking to your new habits during your most difficult times will help build your resolve and allow you to maintain your consistency. When you overcome your lowest points, you will be capable of integrating your new habits with ease.
Avoid Distractions
To maintain your consistency, you need to avoid distractions as much as possible. You will face setbacks that stem not only from yourself but also from others around you. Learning to make the correct decisions and learning to say no to others is necessary to your progress.
Many times, you will find yourself slowly relapsing to your old habits unconsciously. Your mind will attempt to convince you that you deserve a break and that you have all the time you need. This is a trap. You will need to overcome your laziness and procrastination by distancing yourself from anything and everything that will stop your progress.
If your change is not going as planned, you need to figure out where the problem is coming from. Do you have unhealthy food somewhere in your kitchen that you have been eating? Or have you been grabbing snacks laying around in the office on your way in and out?
Do you find yourself getting to bed later than you have planned? Are you going out with your friends a lot lately and can’t wake up early enough? There is always a pattern to our habits, and to avoid falling in the same trap, we need to recognize that the type of decisions we make determine whether we succeed or fail.