By John Valentik, MS, CSCS, NASM-PES, FMS

I wanted to share an article that was published in the Centre Daily Times last week. This was my spot in a rotating monthly fathering article that me and a great group of guys put out. I’ve tweaked it a bit to make it applicable for everyone and not just fathers. Enjoy!

If you’re like most, you probably have some New Year’s goals in mind. Before you begin shooting for the stars, consider a few things. First, the overwhelming majority of people who set New Year’s resolutions fail, many of whom quit before the first month ends. The most common reasons include losing motivation and being too busy. While this can be demoralizing in itself, think about the perception it creates with family members. There is nothing wrong with failing and that’s an important lesson to teach from time to time. But quitting a commitment you made before a month is also not a great example. Consider these action steps to help you on your journey.

ACTION IDEAS

Write down the goal: Doing so drastically increases your likelihood for success. It not only holds you more accountable, but reviewing it allows your subconscious mind to work on the goal.

Be SMART: Make it Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Frame Specific.

Start Small: Setting a goal with a high likelihood for success allows you to build on momentum and create a compounding effect similar to that of the stock market.

We’re human, we’re not perfect: Life happens. There are always things that happen that we don’t expect, which can also affect your timeline. Remember that missing once is an accident, missing twice is the start of a new habit (James Clear).

Start this year with a new gameplan. Share it with your family so they know you have goals. They can also provide some needed support and accountability when the going gets tough.