If we were to snap our fingers and instantly leap 365 days forward we would watch 2015 close almost exactly like we're seeing today. Of course some things will be slightly different, but if history is our indicator they'll likely be worse ... Political campaigns turn nastier as we move closer to 2016 elections, our national debt breaks new highs, ISIS claims the lives of more innocent victims, and the inevitable death of Obamacare, as costs wildly escalate.
For those wedded to the status quo shall have no fear, 2015 will be another banner year.
Despite the issues above, many take solace in the thought that life in America will continue as we know it ... Bill O'Reilly tops the best seller's list with another highly anticipated Killing book. The country embraces a new Dancing Star and Singing Idol. There will be Sports, Oscar, Grammy, and Pageant winners. People Magazine chooses the world's sexiest, and Victoria's Secret the Angel. Sports Illustrated produces another swimsuit calendar and Apple another iPhone. Lastly, as sure as the sunrise, the vast majority of Americans will once again fail to achieve their 2015 New Year's resolutions ... like 92% of us repeatedly do, as indicated by the University of Scranton, Journal of Clinical Psychology.
Just because everything we watch on television, hear in the news, or do for a living each day is basically the same, doesn't mean that we must be. People make resolutions because they want to improve, with the belief that the future version of themselves brings something better. With the intent so right, why do so many of us get it so wrong? We all possess the power to instantly break tradition, work our way out of a slump, and start bettering ourselves. However, most of us don't and those who try repeatedly fail when they do. Our failure is often attributed to the lack of discipline or will (and rightly so for some), but there are also other, lesser known, factors at play.
As living beings, our bodies function under the principle of homeostasis; a state of balance where our systems keep a constant internal environment despite changes in external conditions. In essence, part of the brain acts as the thermostat to keep us running at a constant temperature; which is why we sweat when we are hot and shiver when we are cold. Our system's regulation to normalcy doesn't end there, it also affects our mood, preserves our energy, and makes us inherently lazy.
Homeostasis creates a psychological barrier and resistance for change that's wired into our brains, and there is little chance of becoming exceptional without recognizing and reprogramming this neutralizing force. Such reengineering is what separates the recreational runner from the ultra marathon runner, where long after the mind tells the body to quit, the heart makes it keep going until the finish line is crossed. In more common scenarios, our brains work against us by crashing our diets and ending our new workout routines before noticeable changes are ever reached.
When we don't see immediate results, excuses or rationalizations kick-in to sabotage our willpower and revert us back to the norm. In his book Mastery, George Leonard expands more on the concept of homeostasis and how it affects who we are. I highly recommend the read!
In order to achieve new heights we must outwit our minds.
Similar to the tiring student who reads each line over and over again, we also face plateaus and diminishing returns to push through before we can prevail to record heights. Since this act is anything but easy, some have been known to cheat. To overcome such hurdles, many in the workplace use common stimulants like caffeine, while some athletes have resorted to banned substances like steroids. Drugs may help some in the short-term, but most come with severe side-effects that result in a big crash or something even worse.
The ability to better ourselves does not happen in an instant, nor does it come from uttering a few resolutions. The trick is to understand this and learn how to view the intense effort and focus on our paths to improvement as the only reward. Success is not an arbitrary act or an end goal, but rather a strategic adjustment in lifestyle that we find pride and joy in pursuing.
Consider this for a moment ... Is your career successful if you are paid well but hate going to work everyday, your marriage when both parties are loyal but you don't look forward to coming home, or your diet if society thinks you look good but you pop pills, starve and binge eat?
Once we learn how to appreciate and enjoy the arduous journey; which also includes the monotonous and mundane, the mental aspect behind our improvement has already been won. The next phase of the transformation is to secure sustainable results by planning for them. Too many of us believe that if we achieved something once before, decades ago, we can do it again today the same way. This couldn't be a bigger misconception. It's likely that the hurdles in your way are much greater today then they were back then; a demanding career, family commitments, and limited time are just a few.
When we don't prepare for the pitfalls that stand in our way, we risk falling right in the center of them. The student with the aim of losing weight and improving grades has zero chance if he continues to hangout at the local malt shop everyday after class. The odds of meeting his goals would be improved dramatically if he moved the hangout location to the library, where chocolate malteds cannot be consumed and studying can be performed. I am the first to admit that this doesn't sound like rocket science, but then again I am still alarmed by how 92% of us fail at our new found goals and pacts of improvement.
The worst thing anyone could do is attempt to accomplish a resolution without first developing a winning strategy. If your desire is to truly be healthier, then start eating and living healthier. Construct a list of 100 healthy food items and only buy what's on that list when shopping. If you fill your pantry with junk foods, you will not have the willpower to reach for something healthy when starved. Eating right is only half of the initiative, you must also fit exercise into your daily schedule. This could be as simple as walking for 20 minutes each night after dinner. However, you must make this routine or you will find yourself back on the couch watching television in no time. Being healthy does not take a pricey gym membership or the launch of a new year, it can start today when you prepare for it.
The reason so many workout programs like P90X yield significant results is because it makes it convenient while removing the guesswork. Just put a disc in the player and let the lazy mind be at ease as you follow the routine. All you need to bring is the motivation ... and as we discuss in Welcome to the Big Leagues that's an internal engine.
The development of an accommodating systematic approach that drives improvement is not a novel concept, it is vital to achieving almost anything ... like education where those with full-time careers can still earn an advanced degree in a reasonable period. Without such well-constructed programs tailored to support an already busy schedule, people would quit long before the degree is earned.
When you sit down to construct your own plan, it's important to recognize the type of programs that have been demonstrated to work versus those that don't. Be leery of anything that touts the notion of being quick, as obtaining sustainable results or a dramatic change in lifestyle should never be speedy.
Resolutions don't fail, people do.
Do not follow in the footsteps of our society by letting another 365 days pass without building a better you. It does not take a climatic moment to improve your career or life. When we rely on an event or anyone other than ourselves, it creates a false sense of inspiration that's easily crushed by rationalization. Whether the aim is to become an all-star athlete, employee, parent, or humanitarian make building a foolproof plan to combat homeostasis and breaking away from the status quo the new norm for you. Good luck and Happy New Year!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
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