HOW TO KEEP THE RESOLUTE IN RESOLUTION!

Fitness programs often get derailed before they’re really began, and how when life presses in, they’re usually the first things to go. This week I’d like to give you five tips to help keep you going when the going gets tough.

1. Speak out your goals frequently – there’s power in the spoken word. It’s even Biblical. When God spoke, things happened. Say what you want to do. Tell other people. Continue to tell yourself. The squeaky wheel gets the most grease, so you might as well be the wheel, squeaking to yourself. Remember “The Little Engine That Could” from our childhood? He said “I think I can, I think I can.” And then he did.

2. Write down your goals – there’s power in the written word too. People with written goals are more likely to achieve them. They’re also helpful reminders about what we need to do. If I don’t write something down, forget about it. Too many things are trying to get our attention. Write it down.

3. You need to have a reason behind the reason – this is the goal; it’s why you want to achieve the goal. This gives the goal meaning. For example, say you want to lose weight. Ask yourself why you want to lose the weight. Perhaps the answer might be “so I can look better.” Then go deeper. Ask yourself why you want to look better. Maybe that answer is “so I can feel better about myself.” See how it works? The deeper you go, the more likely it is that that goal will have staying power.

4. Be accountable to someone else – this will help keep you honest, and perhaps even keep you out of trouble! Someone once said we should try to live our lives as if someone was always watching. It applies to working out too. It’s easy to push when you’re working out with someone else. If other people know your goals, and how important they are to you, they’ll be able to help you stay on track.

5. Finally, give yourself a reward – even though the goal itself is often a reward, it can be great fun to do something to celebrate your success, even if the success is measured in small increments. If you just went down a pants size, go buy yourself a pair of skinny jeans. You earned it! If it’s a bigger goal, plan a bigger party. That might give you the extra juice you need to stay the course.

I hope these tips help a little bit. Let me know. Feel free to contact me through Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/tomdolanfitness if you have any questions or comments.