**Update: Here are the winners of our 6 DietBet entries: Me: Christy Cloer (Facebook), @alishabowling (Instagram), and April Sherlock (Twitter). Chris: Chelsi Byrnes (Facebook), @joshmagill (Instagram), and Carrie Sagel Burns (Twitter). We replied to your posts with the info on how to claim your free entry, so go check them right now! 😉 You have 24 hours to reply. Congratulations!
Every New Year?s Eve, Chris and I gather up our friends and family for a little resolutions party. It is without a doubt one of my favorite days of the entire year. Together, we hang out, set off fireworks, and laugh about the crazy adventures over the last year. Right before the New Year hits, we each write out individual resolutions on paper lanterns and release them into the sky. There is something so powerful about declaring your resolutions out loud to those closest to you. These kinds of promises, as opposed to silent promises, give us an added layer of accountability that we all need…including me!!
2015 has absolutely flown by, and I really can’t believe it’s that time of year again when at least 45% of us make those New Year?s Resolutions to lose weight, or save money, or get out of debt, or go back to school, or cross off that bucket list item…and on and on. Why is it, then, that on December 31st?364 short days later?only 8% of resolution makers are successful? Why do we have a hard time achieving any goal, no matter when we begin? Why is it so hard to do what we know we need to do? What quenched that burning fire we felt on day 1 of this ?fresh start,? and how can we reignite it and be successful goal achievers? It might take some trial and error to find your fire, but go for it?you?re so worth it!
Here are my six solutions for reigniting, and then keeping your goal-achieving fire burning brightly?with some motivational quotes thrown in for some extra kindling: 😉
1. Have a heart-to-heart conversation with yourself and ask?and answer?the hard questions: Why do I want to achieve this goal? How will my life be better by achieving it? If this is a repeat goal, why did I fall (because we never fail!) the last time? What will I do differently this time?
Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. ~Unknown
The best goal has a deeper motivation?that burning fire you feel within: to get a better job, to be able to play with your kids without feeling like you?re going to die, to retire at a certain age, etc. And while a goal to fit into that pair of jeans might get you started, it?s probably not a long-term motivator. Find that ?burning fire? purpose and you?re good to go!
Purpose is the most powerful motivator in the world. ~Gandhi
2.? Prioritize:? If your calendar and to-do list don?t match up with your goal, you?ve got a problem.
You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courage…to say ?no? to other things. And the way to do that is by having a bigger ?YES? burning inside. ~ Stephen Covey
Yes, you need to take care of life and the people in your life, but if your to-do list is full of too many low-priority ?other? things, you?ve lost your bigger, burning YES! Carefully prioritize your life and make sure those YESs are front and center.
3.? Replace fear with courage: The fear of failure is a huge fear we all have to deal with when committing to a goal, and the hardest part of reaching that goal is often convincing ourselves we can change even though we?re afraid! One of the easiest ways to find the courage amongst your fears is to make and keep one small Promise to yourself. Success ignites even more courage!
Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all. ~Disney?s “The Princess Diaries”
4.? Celebrate every single success, no matter how small: Set up your own reward system?it works for kids, why wouldn?t it work for you?! Make your rewards something tangible, motivating, and goal-related, and remember that each tiny success makes that fire burn even hotter, so celebrate!
People who succeed have momentum. The more they succeed, the more they want to succeed, and the more they find a way to succeed. ~Tony Robbins
5.? Be realistic:
- Achieving this goal will definitely make your life better, but don?t make the mistake of thinking it will make life ?perfect.? If you do, you?re setting yourself up for a big fall.
- Be prepared to fall, and when you do, pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and confess, reassess, and recommit to your goal. Remember: Falling is not failing!
- Get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable. Feeling comfortable is definitely a fire extinguisher!
Life is not meant to be lived in your comfort zone. ~Laurel Day
6.? Some other ways to keep that fire burning:
- Work on one goal at a time and make sure it?s a SMART Goal.
- If you don?t know where to start, do some research, ask others, and become a budding expert. For a weight loss goal, check out our Carb Cycling program?it works!
- Just begin. Focus on one small thing you can do today to move closer to your goal. Get on that treadmill for just 5 minutes, deposit $5 in a savings account, or look over your resume. One small thing.
- Prepare for and take care of small bumps in the road before they become huge roadblocks to your success.
Guys, I?ve got an amazing way for you to get a great start on that 2016 transformation goal, and it starts January 4th. Chris and I are hosting another?DietBet game??Get Lean in 2016 with Heidi & Chris Powell??and we?d love to have you on our Get Lean Team! It?s simple: Bet $30, lose 4% of your body weight in 30 days, and split the pot (which is growing every day, BTW!). What an awesome way to invest in yourself in more ways than one. 😉 Who?s in? Get all the info?here! And to give you a jump start on your 2016 transformation goals, I’m giving away three entries to our DietBet game! Here’s how to enter:
- Leave a comment below and tell me about one of your New Year’s Resolutions. And to make it really real, tell me one promise you’re going to make to yourself to help you achieve this goal!
- Make sure you’re following me on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and then like this post on any of my channels. You can even share it if you feel so inclined. 😉
- You have until midnight, Sunday, January 3rd, to enter, and one winner will be randomly chosen from Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and announced here on Monday, January 4th.
And remember, finding your fire and keeping it burning brightly is all up to you?no one can do it for you. You got this! 🙂
Xoxo,
Heidi
1,283 Responses
I hope you get to read through all these comments! It took me forever to scroll through them all. I have so many things I want to achieve for my health in 2016. Not just physical health, but emotional and financial as well. I found these beautiful journals at Joann Fabrics a few weeks back and snatched some up for myself, my sisters and a few friends. Mine reads “Great things never come from comfort zones” on the cover which has been a true throughout my life.
I have made many goals and tried to stagger them throughout the year for deadlines. Some of my goals are as follows:
Goal 1: Complete the 8 week fitness challenge at my gym. Deadline Feb 26
Why?: I believe being in better shape, stronger, and thinner will make me better at crossfit and more confident at my new cross fit gym.
How will this improve my life?: I will have less heart burn and indigestion with a clean diet, the swelling in my lower extremities will decrease, and my digestive process will be more comfortable. I will sleep better, have more energy, and most importantly I will radiate more confidence than I currently do.
How will I achieve this goal?: Attend crossfit 3x per week for at least 8/6 weeks, meet my 10,000 step goal at least 6x per week, drink at least 150 Oz of water per day at least 5x per week, eat clean for 8 weeks.
How will I reward my success?: New Workout gear
Goal 2: Pay off the remaining balance on my credit card. Deadline April 1, 2016
Why?: For my financial health. It will make me feel like I’m actually moving forward and not just running on a hamster wheel. One debt closer to being able to attend grad school!
How: Make higher monthly payments (minimum $100 per month), use my tax return to make a large payment.
Reward?: Set $100 aside for travel
Goal 3: Write 2 hand written letters to friends/family 2x per month: Deadline monthly
Why?: I am terrible at keeping in contact with people and I want to let my friends and family know I still think of them often.
How?: Put names in a jar and pull out 2 per month.
Reward? Better/closer relationship with friends and family.
I have many more goals like being able to do 20 burpees in a row by June 18 (my 27 birthday) and doing the Dirty Girl Mud Run. But it would take up too much space to write all of them in detail.
Happy and Prosperous New Year to you and your family!
That should say crossfit 3x a week for at least 6 out of 8 weeks ?
My goal for the new year is two things well 3… Stop smoking , lose weight and eat better including stop skipping meals. I know its not going to be easy I have done it before and I remember how good it felt but a 2 years ago I has to have a hysterectomy due partly to pcos and now I am 36, 225 pounds and in menopause and I know with my pcos i have some health risk . I want to be healthy for myself and my husband. I can do this and my husband is in my corner with support Did I already say… he loves working out and does everyday lol
One of my resolutions is to become healthier. I am very realistic, very heavy and very scared. I have reached an all time high of 475 and am 43 years old. I have a beautiful wife and 3 amazing kids ages 9,9 and 11. My version of playing ball is: I will stand here, throw it to me and if I miss it, you have to bend down to get it. How wad is that? I am frustrated and done. I have tried every diet, have had gastric band surgery and nothing worked. I need to change, I don’t know how and I do not recognize the person in the mirror.
One of my resolutions is to become healthier. I am very realistic, very heavy and very scared. I have reached an all time high of 475 and am 43 years old. I have a beautiful wife and 3 amazing kids ages 9,9 and 11. My version of playing ball is: I will stand here, throw it to me and if I miss it, you have to bend down to get it. How wad is that? I am frustrated and done. I have tried every diet, have had gastric band surgery and nothing worked. I need to change, I don’t know how and I do not recognize the person in the mirror.
Please pick me..
I resolve to get my fire for being fit back. My wife of 11 years gave birth to my first born Colton this year and I want to prove it to myself that at 35 your metabolism doesn’t have to slow down. I also want yo be a great example to my boy on living a clean and healthy lifestyle so many of our youth need today.
My resolution is to live a healthier lifestyle. I want to lose weight so I can be active for my 5 year old daughter and newborn son. I want to teach my kids healthy habits so they do not struggle with their weight the way I have my whole life.
My resolution is to lose weight and get healthy this year because me and my husband are planning on starting s family this year… My promise is to eat better and get to the gym at least 3 days a week!
This year I resolve to daily improve my health and fitness. I have weight loss goals but get easily derailed by work, commitments, and 3 kids. I know that I need to make the investment in me for not only myself but for my family. I want my kids to see what being healthy looks like so they can hopefully avoid the ‘weight’ struggles so many of us face. My goal this year is to make better food and exercise choices each day. And if I fail one day, to avoid the mindset that I have 100% failed and try again the next day. I really value the information you share on family, food and fitness and will continue to follow you on instagram and your blog for your great advice.
Cheers to a year of 366 daily successes for improving me!
This year I chose to do some research and really understand goal setting. So I’m starting with a dream. My dream is to have a body fat percentage of 17-20% (I am presently obese). How I am going to get there is creating an eating plan with Powell resources 😉 and taking care of my physical health. Im attempting to make phases also… which me luck because I fall every year! :/
My first promise to myself is: Say no to fast food.
Here we go!
My resolution this year is to get back into shape. I have always been an athlete and I have really enjoyed staying in shape and trying new things. I had a baby about 6 months ago and I have really been struggling with balance. I exercised during my pregnancy and even did your Nasty 9s workout! 😀 It was my first pregnancy and I was hesitant to push too hard and as it got harder and harder in the last months, I worked out less and less. It’s crazy how much your body changes and how long it took me to feel even close to normal. I need to take care of myself and get back into shape so I can take care of my family and my little body. My husband and I scheduled a half marathon in June to work towards. I know I can do it!
my little boy* oops!