New Year’s Resolutions! (Or goals, or challenges, or whatever the heck you want to call them!)
We’ve all seen the studies that show only 10% of New Year’s Resolutions stick. The main reason is it’s just too easy to fall back into bad habits. That, and most people set goals that are WAAAYYYY too big. Let’s think about the “why” behind the goal and consider starting small and working our way up.
Here are five things to consider for 2024.
Sign up for a race…
My oldest son Blake is a former Division One cross-country runner. After having practiced almost every day for several years, he found himself in a rut. So, what did he do? He signed up for a ½ Marathon. This gave him a “carrot” to dangle and get back to running. He’s inspired the rest of the family to go find an event.
Share your goal…
Once my son signed up for his event, he told everyone. He knew this would make it harder for him to take a day off or skip a workout. Even better – he got some friends to join him.
Start small…
For Blake, a half marathon is not too much given his background. For others, it might be Mission Impossible. That’s totally OK. Find something that fits you better like a 5K or 10K or a “fun run.” Hopefully after your conquest, you want to keep going.
Anticipate obstacles…
My younger son Brady is preparing to join a Wildland Firefighting Crew this summer and is training hard to be ready for the challenge. Unfortunately, over the holidays he developed a nasty case of shin splints that set him back. What did he do? He went to Plan B. More yoga, more stretching, stationary bike instead of running….you get the idea.
Don’t beat yourself up…
Practice some self-compassion! If you miss a workout or have a late night with friends so what? Move on, get back on track, and keep moving forward. Just get a little better every day.
See you on the trails!
Andy