New Year's Resolutions

We are rapidly approaching 2011, which makes me feel pretty old! Holy smokes, where does the time go! A lot of people set New Year's resolutions at the start of each year, a tradition I think this is kind of funny but ultimately good.

It is funny because for most people it is an exercising of increased dieting or exercising for a week or two (maybe even a month!) before they drop off back to their old habits. I would guess this is the common New Year's resolution result.

The other thing that is funny to me, or maybe this is a reason why these things are rarely successful... if you decide you are going to exercise or diet more, why not start today? What is wrong with starting right now? Chances are, if someone's attitude is something like, "I am going to have my fun now, but when New Year's comes around I am going to get to the gym every day," then they are probably not going to be successful. They are not really committed to the goal (if they were, they would start right away), but more like it's something they feel they ought to do, and if you have that feeling without really being committed, it will fizzle.

On the other hand, New Year's resolutions are good because it is really important, I think, to set goals. And not only to set goals, but to actually be committed to achieving them. Having goals gives us a better sense of purpose, makes us more driven, and actually more lends us to accomplish things. We should make specific goals and detail how we are going to achieve them. For myself, I usually have a big list of goals that I want to accomplish for the year... and between you and me, I am not always the best at following through on all of them, but having those goals really helps me to focus.

So I guess my major point (if there is one) is that it is important and good to set goals and actually be committed and have a plan to achieve them! New Year's Resolutions can be a good way to do that, though generally people aren't always committed to them enough to see them through. But goals can be an important way to achieve our dreams and make us into the people we want to be!