For many, January offers a time to reflect and recommit to personal improvement with the new calendar year. Sticking to new choices can be a challenge however, and here at Progressive Performance we have found a few simple things which can make it easier for you to see your resolutions through.
Simplicity Makes It Easy
Consistency is the most important factor in any goal by far. A suboptimal program, diet, or session done day after day will outperform an inconsistent “perfect” plan every single time. Knowing this, prioritizing habit building is going to be key, and the simpler the better. Simplicity reduces the mental load of making decisions, increases the chances you’ll stick to it, and makes your process more adjustable across time. In the same vein, making smaller changes incrementally also tends to increase successful habit forming compared to changing everything at once. Do the basics well and often and you are going to see changes.
Understand Your Values and Prioritize
Motivation is based on feeling; and feelings come and go. Utilize your motivation when it’s there, but creating consistency comes from understanding your priorities. Yes life gets busy and don’t be too hard on yourself for missing a day or two, but find value in the hard things which improve your wellbeing. Capitalize on how good it feels to make progress. Small wins create the big picture changes we all want and the real key to getting there is loving the journey. Taking control of the reward center in your brain and steering it towards things that get results starts with the story you’re telling yourself about you. Resolutions are a January fad, but your values will last.
Change The Surroundings To Change Your Habits
When it comes to diet in particular availability is the quickest (and often cheapest) lever to pull regarding habit formation. You can’t eat something that isn’t there. Now, this doesn’t mean completely cutting out all enjoyable treats and there are many ways to adjust your environment. Whether it’s hiding the snacks in a closet, reducing the quantity of something, or shifting your schedule to fit in the gym we tend to use the things we have easy access to. Follow your priorities, and take 2026 (and this article) as a call to refocus on your goals. The way to align your surroundings with those values will jump out at you quickly.
New Year: Same You
Let’s face the reality: January 1st is just another day. No one is making radical changes in their habits or fitness overnight and it took you a long time to get where you are now. Be realistic about the time it’s going to take to change that. Most people overestimate the results they can achieve in a month but underestimate by FAR the results they can achieve in a year of consistent effort. It is extraordinary how important simple, consistent, prioritized changes can shift your life. From fitness to careers to family to your mind there is an ocean of possibilities within reach and the only thing separating you from those goals is time. Now, take a small step towards something you’re aiming for, then take another one tomorrow, and the day after. Before you know it you’ll end up exactly where you wanted!
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