Your marathon awaits.

Goal #1: Read this article.

To be “resolute” is to be driven, purposeful, determined and unwavering.

This time of year, it has an almost antagonistic ring to it for many.  In some it fosters thoughts of change, rebirth, growth and a new beginning.  For others it is a reminder of past failure, desires not met and goals not achieved.  Many people who have had these negative outcomes look at resolutions and think “better luck next year” or “I’ll never make this stick”.  This reminds me of a quote from Lao Tse that I use with my young athletes.  It states: “Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.”  I do paraphrase it a bit.

This article is not going to change your destiny, your character, your habits, your actions or your words.  I just hope that it changes your thoughts.

Regardless of your resolution the most important thing is to be resolute and resolved to the thoughts that you have, or want, for yourself.  It starts with you and it starts small.  It’s the conscious effort to change some part of your daily life for the better.  It’s choosing water over pop.  It’s taking the stairs over the escalator.  It’s you making the time for the gym when you want to go home.  Maybe this change does not happen all the time…but at least once.  That one change resonates exponentially to others.

We are lofty people.  We set impossible goals.  Not because they are, in fact, impossible, but because we set them in a way that allows us the opportunity to fail.

I challenge you to set goals that do not allow you to fail.  This means setting them small and being accountable to your goals.  Instead of the resolution “I will be…..by 2014.”  Set the goal “I will be…by tomorrow.”  I will be…by next week.”  Through this you create success and success breeds more success.

I used to set those same resolutions.  I never succeeded…not once.  Not because I wasn’t passionate about my goals or motivated, but because they were too much.  I was pre-destined to fail.  I started thinking about those small goals and how utterly pointless they must be.  I would say to myself, “What is one glass of water or an extra 10 minutes of cardio going to do when my goal is so much greater?”  Then I had my moment of clarity; my epiphany.  My life wasn’t a sprint.  None of our lives are.  They are a marathon where we are only racing ourselves and victory is determined by our quality of life.

All of a sudden those small (insignificant) goals seem to have a lot more value.  You no longer look towards the distant future and instead look towards today, tomorrow and the day after.  If you look at your small goals and their results you begin to notice something, change.  Change is subtle but it is always present and always carrying you towards your goals if you let it.

Move towards a new resolution starting today.  Set the following five (5) goals by filling in the blanks.

I will ________________________________________________ by this morning.

I will ________________________________________________ by tonight.

I will ________________________________________________ by the end of the week.

I will ________________________________________________ by the end of this month.

I will ________________________________________________ within three (3) months.

Then try it.  See what happens.  You are smart and motivated.  You are looking for answers and for results.  You are doing your homework.  You are ready to achieve your goals.  You read this article.  One goal accomplished.  Your marathon awaits.