Ready for Changes?
2024 is just around the corner and New Year “resolutions” often seem to dominate the topic of conversations. What does this mean?
Fresh Starts. New Goals. Personal Changes.
Current data indicates that about a quarter of Americans will make New Year's Resolutions. The majority seek self-improvement, more joy in life, quitting a bad habit or addiction, changing careers, improving a relationship… So, how many are expected to achieve their goals? According to the National Library of Medicine (scientific literature - University of Scranton), only 8% of all people achieve their goals.
Ah, but YES, YOU CAN be the 8% minority!
If you are indeed committed to a New Year's "Resolution" this year, let’s start right off by changing the language from “Resolutions” to “Intentions.” It's interesting how one word can make a difference in setting up your success.
Resolution: Implies a pressure to perform, often leading to unreasonable expectations and ultimate failure.
Intention: Implies a willing effort to reach a personal goal, allowing for minor setbacks, and celebrating successes along the way.
How to Commit to Change
Change is healthy and necessary, and the fast-paced world in which we live is constantly changing. If we fail to adapt and commit to change, we will fail to thrive. If you sit back and reflect honestly, you will probably observe that change is a constant in our lives. We must learn to adapt and commit to change. Here are four basic ways to help you engage in meaningful change:
#1: Define your commitment
First, define what type of change you want to commit to. If you do not know what you are committing to, you will likely not be able to achieve lasting change. Be transparent and honest while clearly defining your commitment. Then, plan by defining: (1) why you are doing this and (2) how you will do this.
For starters, use a notebook for a visual reference or first draft.
For example, let's use the topic of fitness. If you are dissatisfied with the current condition of your body, you might decide to improve it. Again, define why you are doing this; be as clear, honest, and *detailed as you can. Then, draft a plan describing your methods to achieve your goal, for instance, by improving your eating habits and increasing your physical activity. This plan will help you become aware of your commitment and prepare you for the work ahead.
#2: Do not be a spectator
Second, to strengthen your commitment to change, make sure you are not "faking the funk." How? By saying you want to change but are not eager to participate wholeheartedly. Commitment is an obligation that you cannot fulfill if you do not fully engage with it.
Staying with the example of fitness, you are just "checking the box." If you go to the gym to say you went to the gym but are not changing your eating habits, you will not reach the results you want. To get the best results and fully embrace the change, you have to commit to a healthy overall lifestyle by going to the gym AND changing your eating habits. You must completely invest yourself in what the change requires.
#3: Be persistent
Commitment requires persistence. You do not back out because you find it hard to adapt to change or if the change is not immediately working out for you. That is not how it is done. To acquire meaningful results from the change, you have to practice persistence. Again, using the example of fitness, some days you will do well, eat healthy meals, and work like a beast. Other days will not go so smoothly. These small failures only equate to significant shortcomings if you do not persevere and power past them to try again the next day. You must be persistent to get the results you desire.
#4: Refresh your motivations
Motivation is not permanent; it requires revisiting and refreshing. Go back to your notebook where you defined your commitments. Re-read those reasons and plans you wrote down while determining your commitments when you were powerfully motivated. This will reignite that spark. If your motivations have changed, redraft your plan and add new reasons.
Committing to change—any change—is significant and can be daunting. Take some "baby steps" with these four tips to get started, and remember that slow and steady wins the race.
If you still struggle, choose someone to help hold you accountable and encourage you…or even both work together on similar goals. To help you succeed, you can contact us here at Call of Eden if you would like more information on identifying the change you seek and how to make it achievable.
To help you make positive and lasting changes, we recommend the book Atomic Habits by author James Clear. He provides an easy and proven way to build good habits and break bad ones.