New Year's Resolutions for a New Decade

I remember when we were coming into the Millennium 10 years ago today. Wow, how fast it seems looking back at it now. -It took an eternity to get here, but somehow looking back at it, it seem infinitely faster.
I was a young man in my late 20's at the time, newly married, and we returned to the Sunset Cliffs in San Diego, California where we were engaged the year before.

And that started my 2000's... -Just as this blog will end them...

If I were to look back at what my life was like 10 years ago, it just wouldn't make sense to me now. If I were to look at the resolutions I made back then, they would probably be the same as what I am going to make now. How does that make sense? It was 10 years ago, and my life has changed totally, and yet my resolutions would still be eerily similar. -Just like 99% of the population, right?

-Lose weight, make more money, and spend more time with friends and family. And that's also because I don't smoke, so I would throw that in there too...

Sound familiar?

Well, this year, those are a given. But for the launch of the new decade, I thought I would share a few things more just to make it different from all those other years where we say and a month later, we don't do...

THIS year, not only did I make out goals of what I want to change in my life, but I also drew out a plan how to get there. I started with ACHIEVING the goal first, and then worked backwards to where I am right now, which acts as a kind of road map on how to get there.

Along the way, I took obstacles that always distract me from achieving my goals (typically) and removed them and put them in a list of "Sacrifices" that I am planning to give up, because I know that although they offer instant gratification, they offer no long term value. I find that instant gratification holds me back from everything valuable that I want to achieve ALL THE TIME. -If it is easier, it is not going to be involved in my new plan. I also expect that there will be roadblocks along the way, and I have added those so that I will come to expect them, and they won't be a surprise when it happens.

In fact, I have realized that being in my comfort zone is not at all productive, and that unless I am doing something uncomfortable EVERY single day, I will not achieve anything worthwhile. Simply said, nothing I want to achieve is attainable without hard work and effort, and that means I need to get out of my comfort zone to do it.

But damn, is this scary.

Maybe that's the reason why most people aren't where they want to be? Because we all know how to get there, but it's the "Do it" part that we refuse to connect to because it is TOO HARD.

Let's look at weight loss...

I love it when everyone says "How did you lose the weight?" Like it's a real bloody secret?! Diet, and exercise. Big Effing Secret!!

But for some reason, everyone can't stick to the plan, right? We all want a pill, a plan, a way, something to make it easy, rather than just doing the work.

Do you know WHY we don't stick to it? It's because we don't have a "Why" that is good enough to execute this. The first casualty is always ourselves, right? We would do it for someone else, but never for our own good. How crazy is that? Let me share a story that makes my point...

An overweight man who had spent decades being obese learned that his son needed a kidney transplant. It was found that he was a perfect match to his son, and being a great dad, volunteered himself to donate his organ to his son. The medical staff came back and said that they could not operate on the obese man until he lost 100 pounds without it being a medical risk to his own life. -Fast forward to the end of the story. Guess what happened? Of course he lost the weight and was able to save his son's life because his "Why" was big enough to make it happen. He most likely wouldn't have done it had it just been for himself, and that is clear by every single year he probably gave himself a New Year's Resolution to lose weight and it never happened...

So what is YOUR "Why"?

What will make you execute your plan this year? Let me tell you, that if you don't have a FANTASTIC reason to change, don't even bother making a New Year's Resolution because you won't keep it.

And that's what makes us not execute. Nobody likes "Change", and if you want to improve things, you have to change. But change is HARD, and uncomfortable. And this year, I would say that if it is uncomfortable, you are in the right spot. If things are easy, you won't change.

Does this sound about right?

Now the only thing that stops you is having a plan, and having the support to get you there. I have my own "Why" and my own road map. I have a support group that is strong, and I won't "Count" on anyone but myself to get me there, so no expectations...

I have a vehicle to get me to where I want to go, and by vehicle, I don't mean a car. So if you are wanting to get out of your comfort zone for long term gain, I would like to have you on my support group. I will support you, and you can support me. Communication, and honesty is part of the deal, and many hands make light work.

So there it is...

I have given you my plan. If you think that you want on board on the same plan, with your own agenda, let me know. You know where to find me. To those of you who are tired of your life not being all that you want, and tired of making false plans in your life, let's kick some ass.

For those of you who don't, and are happy with your life the way it is, Happy New Year ;)