A New Year! (Part II)

(Bursey, 2011)

I wanted to get into the nitty-gritty and share my thoughts on Jeffery H. Rice's top ten reasons people quit their New Year's resolutions, as noted in my last blog post. 

1) Lack of enough knowledge about the desired goal

In order to really accomplish a desired goal, you do indeed need to have some knowledge about what you're tackling; learning is key. 

Ask, research and determine what the purpose is in really going after your desired goal. Without a specific purpose, you will lose sight of your goal.

2) Not knowing how to put an action plan together

Throughly study, gain knowledge and determinie your purpose. It will become easier to determine what effect you really want this goal to have on you after determining the purpose. 

Once you understand what effect you want it to have, it is easier to create a concentrated path to attain the desired result (McMillan, 16). 

3) Loss of motivation

Mankind seems to always be in search of motivation. I know I get caught in the trap at times, but the reality is that motivational quotes, themes, videos, conversations and so on are simply a starting point to help yourself reignite your own personal motivational pilot light. 

The key is to never let the light completely burn out. Rather to keep it consistently burning and waiting, so that when something sparks, sending you into a full fire, that you are ready to roll with it. 

Eventually things will wane some as we get accustomed to the heat of the new norm, but as time rolls on we will indeed find something that sparks us again - the trick is to run with it, in a smart way, when the fire is lit.

4) Lack of support

Are you serious about your goal(s)? If so, have you even shared with your spouse, partner, best friends or parents what it is that you are trying to do? 

Have you asked them for their support and let them know specifically what you would appreciate them doing to help you along the way? Oftentimes lack of support is derived by you not taking your goal seriously. 

If it's a private goal, then you have no business whatsoever getting upset with others for being inconsiderate when they have no idea what the hidden expectations are. If it is a private goal, then you had better be honest with yourself. 

Lack of support (personal or via others) is usually indicative of an empty promise that you have given yourself.

Now there are some circumstances where you really do struggle with adequate support. Could it be that you are relying too much on others to get you where you want to be? 

Do you have unrealistic expectations? Or could it be that your support system truly sucks? If this is the case, email me, we'll huddle about it and find a way.  

5) Time management

No boss, no spouse, no kid, no parent is going to be standing at the foot of your bed at four-thirty or foive o'clock in the morning to get your attention. Get up and use your time wisely. 

Work on your goals and dreams, before other responsibilities get in the way. This is where you find out if you really want to achieve your goal badly enough.

6) Fear of failure 

I couldn't say it better than Michael Jordan in this youtube clip.

7) Excuses

Simply put, if you are making excuses, you are not fully committed. You may have to modify, you may have to adapt your goal to your circumstances. You may have to get creative and be extra patient, but there is a way. 

8) Not seeing results quick enough

Patient persistence is key. You may not feel like you are seeing results quickly enough; if this is the case, then you aren't appropriately measuring and tracking your progress. 

You need to track your results so that you can gain an honest perspective about your improvements.

"True progress quietly and persistently moves along without notice." ~ St. Francis of Assisi

9) Lack of nutrition knowledge

Have you honestly invested in researching what foods are best for your body type? Have you ever tracked what you are eating? Have you met with a nutrition specialist to help you gain adequate knowledge to achieve your goals here?

10) The quick fix fad of the month otherwise known as the $100 billion dollar diet industry

Chances are that if it's a quick fix, then the results will be fleeting. So the question is, "do you want lasting changes or temporary ones?"

Just as a closing side note, I found the picture on Paul Bursey's blog page about the Entrepreneurial Mindset. Granted, in this particular article he is relating how to overcome network marketing challenges, but it's written in such a way that the application is actually quite broad. A good read with relation to goal setting.
                                                  
McMillan (2012). Hodgepodge Isn't a Training Program. Running Times Magazine, January, p. 16.

Bursey (2011). Overcoming Obstacles And Coming Out On Top In Network Marketing. (http://paulbursey.net/network-marketing/overcoming-obstacles-and-coming-out-on-top-in-network-marketing/). Paul Bursey Blogspot, March 17.