I saw this poster on the wall of the stairs at my work and I thought it might be a great help to any who are contemplating abandoning their goals, plans, resolutions or whatever you call your efforts to be more active.
Sad Statistics
There are some sad statistics about making meaningful change in our lives. Research shows that:
- 95 percent of people who lose weight on a diet, eventually regain it. A significant number gain back more than they originally lost!
- Even after a heart attack, 1 of every 7 patients makes long-term changes around eating or exercising.
- 25% of people abandon their new-year’s resolutions after one week.
- 60% give up within 60 months.
- The average person makes he same new-year’s resolution 10 times without success!
Here’s Some Good News!
There are more than a thousand visits to hiketricities.com EVERY WEEK! The hope is that our new website, biketri-cities.com will quickly build up to that level or beyond. This is a sign that people have a desire to be active. They are seeking out opportunities to explore around the Tri-Cities.
Here are Some Keys
Develop a positive behavior – This is probably one of the most overlooked factors in trying to make meaningful change in your life. If you don’t have a personality that can stick to reading a book or a budget or flossing on a regular basis, you probably need to work on that first. I wish I had answers on this subject but I think it goes deep into our souls discovering our own personal meaning and commitment. It requires introspection on an almost spiritual level to realize our devotion to a meaningful life. Wrap yourself in activities which bring fulfillment, growth and meaning. When you discover what that means for you, you have a good start on developing positive behavior.
Make sure your plans are realistic – If you’ve never climbed a 1500 foot high mountain (like Badger Mountain), you need to start smaller. Maybe that just means a walk around the block or 15 minutes of Wi-Fit or a leisurely bike ride to the park. Notice I purposely mention things most people can do without added expense. You don’t have to join a gym or invest in a thousand dollar treadmill. The first step is to develop behavior and doing something on a realistic level is going to do much more toward making this happen.
Make your plans specific with deadlines and timelines – It is hard to accomplish something that is not well defined. Plans to “lose weight” or “make more money” should be quantified or they will drift away like other unrealized plans. You should also have a timeline to help hold yourself accountable. I will lose 20 pounds by April 1 is a great example of a well-defined goal. You can add intermediate steps to your timeline to keep you going along the way.
Set aside specific time to accomplish your plans – Maybe you set your alarm clock an hour earlier or maybe you sacrifice some of your television time. It usually works out that you need to stop doing something else before you can start doing something new. Analyze your daily schedule and see where you might fit in your great new plan. Realize how beneficial this will be versus the previous displaced activity and that should help increase your commitment level.
Make new plans as you progress – I’ve arrived! What great news, you lost those 20 pounds or you finished that non-fiction book you’ve wanted to read or you climbed to the top of Badger Mountain in under 30 minutes, WAY TO GO! Don’t stop there! Now, what is next? You don’t want to backslide from your accomplishment. Realize that you have made a lifestyle change. If you return to your previous lifestyle, you will revert back to your previous state. The weight will come back, you’ll spend more wasteful time as a couch potato and that can lead to discouragement. Set a new goal, make a new plan to stick with your commitment. While you may not have to remain at the level of determination which got you to your goal, that lifestyle change will need to be lifelong on some level. Take time now to look to the future. What more can you do? How can you continue to progress? One saying goes: Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll still get run over if you aren’t moving forward.
I truly hope this information will help you make achievements in your life. One tidbit: look forward to your better future, use that vision as a motivator to realize how much better your life will be when you are progressively reaching your ongoing goals!