Forget the resolutions!

BoxerBrawler

Don't make new years resolutions! Set your goals and crush them with furious and wild abandonment! You can do this!

queenliz99

^^ This

ninerbuff

It's not necessarily bad to make a resolution IF one is COMMITTED to doing it. Others use it as a refocus point after they may have gotten lax in their efforts.
Where resolutions fail is when it's just a statement with no substance.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

2snakeswoman

I love making resolutions. I always feel a renewed sense of possibility.

goddessofawesome

ninerbuff wrote: »

It's not necessarily bad to make a resolution IF one is COMMITTED to doing it. Others use it as a refocus point after they may have gotten lax in their efforts.
Where resolutions fail is when it's just a statement with no substance.

Yes, but "resolution" IMO means "short term" with no real map of how they'll get there. For example:

- Lose 10 pounds by May 31
- Eat better
- Exercise 5 days a week

While those are great starting points there's no clear-cut way,which is very typical of resolutions. HOW are you going to lose 10 pounds by May 31? What are you going to do to eat better? HOW will you work out 5 days a week? I feel that making "goals" instead of a "resolution". With a goal you get more into specifics. There are plenty of goal tracking apps, books, etc. that can help keep you accountable and on track. I currently use a book called 'Living Your Best Year Ever'. It walks you through your goals and narrows them down to your three big goals for the year as well as the top 3 goals for the month, and the top 3 goals for the week. There is also your goals for the week where you write in what you want to accomplish and how many times that week (for example, work out 5 days a week). You X off the days you accomplished those goals and say you worked out only 3 days that week. The net achievement of the goal is <2>. Again, goals are more measurable than "resolutions" and with this approach your daily, weekly, monthly goals are sitting right there in your face.

People tend to forget about their resolutions. I know I have when I used to make them. But goals that are written down with a clear-cut path and are staring you in the face daily are a lot harder to ignore.

That's just my .02

jo7777777

I have always achieved at least 80% of my new year resolutions.

CA_Underdog

goddessofawesome wrote: »

ninerbuff wrote: »

It's not necessarily bad to make a resolution IF one is COMMITTED to doing it.

- Lose 10 pounds by May 31

I feel that making "goals" instead of a "resolution". With a goal you get more into specifics.

American Heritage dictionary:

Goal - The purpose toward which an endeavor is directed; an objective.

Resolution - A course of action determined or decided on.

A goal is simply, "Lose 10lbs by May 31st". A resolution is more. It's not only a goal, but also a commitment to achieve it, out of the myriad goals we could achieve. We also typically announce our resolutions to the world-- a form of accountability.

I highly encourage--as you say--smart goals, planning how you will accomplish them, tracking your resolutions, and holding yourself accountable. They're the key, and if you're committed, logical steps. It's up to us how meaningful we want our commitments and trust in ourselves to be. As for me, I have money riding on attaining or failing to meet my resolution. I will make it!

Run4Me2Day

cushman5279 wrote: »

Don't make new years resolutions! Set your goals and crush them with furious and wild abandonment! You can do this!

I agree....by setting goals instead of resolutions and setting step goals to go along with the big picture I will achieve my goal this year.

tulips_and_tea

Semantics, of course, but there are varying definitions of these words to each of us individually. I believe a resolution is successful only if it contains both a goal and a plan.

goddessofawesome

CA_Underdog wrote: »

goddessofawesome wrote: »

ninerbuff wrote: »

It's not necessarily bad to make a resolution IF one is COMMITTED to doing it.

- Lose 10 pounds by May 31

I feel that making "goals" instead of a "resolution". With a goal you get more into specifics.

American Heritage dictionary:

Goal - The purpose toward which an endeavor is directed; an objective.

Resolution - A course of action determined or decided on.

A goal is simply, "Lose 10lbs by May 31st". A resolution is more. It's not only a goal, but also a commitment to achieve it, out of the myriad goals we could achieve. We also typically announce our resolutions to the world-- a form of accountability.

I highly encourage--as you say--smart goals, planning how you will accomplish them, tracking your resolutions, and holding yourself accountable. They're the key, and if you're committed, logical steps. It's up to us how meaningful we want our commitments and trust in ourselves to be. As for me, I have money riding on attaining or failing to meet my resolution. I will make it!

I disagree in your interpretation of the definitions. With the definition of a goal you have a direction and a clear objective of how to meet that goal. With the definition of a resolution you're just saying "I'm going to lose 10 pounds by May 31!" and that's it. And sure you can announce your resolution to the world but it still doesn't make you accountable. Look at how many resolutions fail. With goals you're putting a plan in place (and to steal from the definition) to reach your objective that you have set.

Again, I have my goals narrowed down to my big goals for the year, monthly and weekly goals. I have a weekly register where I write down what goals I am looking to accomplish during the week and how often during the week I plan on doing it. I check those goals off and at the end of the week I add up my totals for the week and the grand total of everything I said I was going to do to see how I measured up. I also have specific tasks to get me to fulfill monthly and yearly goals.

BoxerBrawler

Sometimes folks take things way too seriously. This was just some motivation and best wishes. I didn't really intend a debate to break out LOL! With that said... go ahead and make your resolutions (road maps), and execute them with enthusiasm and positive vibes! You can do this!

noobletmcnugget

I think goals are better than resolutions too. I feel like if you screw up your resolution one day, it feels like you've already failed and you're more likely to just give up and forget about it. If you have a goal that you're working towards, then slip-ups don't really matter, as long as you pick yourself up and continue working towards achieving them.