January
How to keep every resolution without fail
We have all done it. We make New Year resolutions, maybe struggle to keep them for a few days, make ourselves miserable and then lapse back into our old habits.
Sure, we may keep a few of these resolutions during our life but, for most, it is a losing battle. Now I think it is time to reveal vital formula that can ensure that you can keep every resolution without fail.
The key lies in that word ‘resolution’. I suggest that when we make these promises to ourselves, we should drop the ‘re’ bit of the word and concentrate on the ‘solution’.
As a coach I see that many of my clients benefit from this simple change to their thinking. Consider why people make resolutions. It is usually because there is some aspect of their life that they want to change for the better. Then, instead of focusing on the great benefits that they will achieve, they focus on what they are giving up so, of course they fail.
In this life you attract whatever it is that you think about the most. If you
think about negative words like giving up, stopping, doing less or changing something that you have enjoyed for years, then it is inevitable that your subconscious will rebel to ensure that it does not happen.
Instead of thinking about resolutions, think about solutions. Think about how you will look, feel and sound when you have found the solution. Instead of thinking about what you may be giving up, think about what you will gain. Remember too that there is no success or failure; there is only a result. Don’t beat yourself up if the result is not what you planned, just change something and start again.
Can I also offer some pointers about why so many people get results that they see as failure. There are two main reasons. The first is that they try to change the habits of a lifetime overnight and the human mind and body doesn’t work like that. The other is that they attempt to do it alone. The help and support of a non-judgmental and uncritical third party is crucial to a good outcome.
Many coaching clients think that setting a resolution is all that it needs. I often spend the first few coaching sessions getting them to fully appreciate why they choose what they choose and to examine their commitment to the change. Then I get them to define strategies for creating the change with small action steps that will bring them gradually closer to their goals.
Achieving solutions begins with setting them correctly and then having support to make them happen in a timescale that the body and mind can and will accept.
I am always happy to discuss this or other aspects of my approach to coaching, absolutely free of any cost or obligation.
New Year solutions are great if they get you thinking about your life. Remember, you can start work on a new solution at any time. The power of personal change is just too good to be limited to the first few days of the year and it really is possible to keep every resolution without fail.