Commitment: The key to your resolve

 

Hello and welcome to this, the first full working week of a brand new year. Some of you may have made some New Year’s resolutions, some of you may not; of those of you that have, some of you may already feel your resolve dissolving. The key to any goal however, is staying true to what you want to achieve, no matter how difficult, trying or just plain boring it gets staying on your path. But, like most things in life, that’s easier said than done.

Resolutions don’t just have to be made for the new year, however. You can resolve to do anything you want at any time of the year: lose weight, quit drinking, eat more healthily, you name it.

All of these things, however, require sacrifice. And, as you make that sacrifice, you will be tempted and, in those moments of temptation, you’ll start reminding yourself of all that you’re losing out on.

Drinking is fun and drinking is social so, you’ll be losing out on all that jolly bonhomie. Burgers taste nicer than salads; take-outs are quicker than cooking; sitting on the sofa watching a movie is more relaxing than an hour in the gym. And so it goes on.

So, when setting your mind to anything, you need to come up with a list of reasons of why you’re doing it in the first place: why are you giving up drinking? Why are you exercising?

Not just a bullet point list mind. Under each point, write a few sentences on why that is such a good point for you and why you want it so much. Make that point as attractive to you as possible.

Then, whenever the going gets tough (and it will) remind yourself that A: no matter how difficult, trying or downright boring it gets, you can most definitely stand it and then B: read out everything on your list and remind yourself why it is in your best interests to keep on standing it.

Keep your focus on what you gain, not on what you lose and your more likely to stay committed to that goal.