Happy New Year! New me. New you. Start habits not resolutions.

“No one wants to start the New Year and get worse during the year,” said my yoga instructor, Carmen, last week.

I agree.

We all want to get “better” at some level – at least it would seem that way with all the New Year’s resolutions to:

• Lose weight
• Get fit
• Eat right
• etc.

The sad truth is that most resolutions are doomed to fail - as many as 90% fail if you believe some of the published statistics.

Why do they fail?  Maybe they’re too broad, too big, too undefined, too drastic.  Resolutions can fail for any number of reasons.

So rather than set a resolution that will likely fail, start a small habit.

For me, 2011 was about not drinking alcohol for one whole year.  It was simple, well-defined action and not too drastic as I was only cutting out one thing rather than trying to overhaul my entire diet in one brushstroke.

I did it.  It’s now been more than a year. It’s become a habit.

According to Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, it takes 21 days to form a habit.  You can do anything for 21 days.

Pick a habit – something simple that will enable you to get “better.”  Be sure to write it down to make it more “real” and post it somewhere visible as a reminder.

Try it on for 3 weeks.

Re-evaluate after 21 days.  If it doesn’t work for you, find something else.

Good luck – I know you can succeed with a new habit!

David

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David B. Glover, MS, CSCS
Executive Triathlon Coach, ENDURANCEWORKS, LLC
Author of Full Time and Sub-Nine: Fitting Iron Distance Training into Everyday Life