Okay, it’s that time of year again. April, the time of year when most everyone’s New Year’s resolutions are long forgotten.
So, ahem, what were your New Year’s Resolutions for 2014?
I know. Every year I get tired of hearing about them in January. Especially when I know that few who make “resolutions” are truly resolved to accomplish them.
In years past (when James went to a gym instead of doing the Beach Body workouts we now do from home), James would fling open the door at the end of the day and say something like, “I hate January at the gym!”
The reason, of course, being the insanity of a gym crowded with all the “New Year’s people” who had decided that this was the year they would drop all that weight and get into great shape!
Thus, all the gym rats (er, regulars) had to alter their workouts in order to show the newbies what the machines do, how to use the scale, where to get a drink of water, and how to wipe their sweat off the equipment when done.
It was painful. But short-lived.
By March of every year, things had returned to normal, the over-zealous resolutionists fallen by the wayside of their own perceived reality of mediocrity.
Why? Because they didn’t really want it. Not as much as they wanted something else.
What that other thing is varies from person to person, but the end result is the same. It’s not what you want to do that accomplishes your goals, but how hard you’re willing to fight yourself to get it done. And few are willing to fight themselves. But that fight is where life is!
I must quote Tim Ferris in The 4-Hour Workweek (I’ve only read this snippet BTW, so I can’t really recommend the book):
Ninety-nine percent of the people in the world are convinced they are incapable of achieving great things, so they aim for mediocre. The level of competition is thus fiercest for “realistic” goals, paradoxically making them the most time- and energy-consuming …
If you are insecure, guess what? The rest of the world is, too. Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think.
Unreasonable and unrealistic goals are easier to achieve for yet another reason. Having an unreasonably large goal is an adrenaline infusion that provides the endurance to overcome the inevitable trials and tribulations that go along with any goal.
Realistic goals, goals restricted to the average ambition level, are uninspiring and will only fuel you through the first or second problem, at which point you throw in the towel.
If the potential payoff is mediocre or average, so is your effort.
The fishing is best where the fewest go, and the collective insecurity of the world makes it easy for people to hit home runs while everyone else is aiming for base hits.
If you made a New Year’s Resolution a few months ago – then, by George, RESOLVE to accomplish it.
Proverbs 16:32
He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures a city.
James and Cindi Runyon 