We’ve all felt the excitement of a New Year’s resolution before.
But we’ve also all felt the disappointment when our big goals didn’t come to fruition.
Often, our failure to make change is because we try to do too much at once. This is particularly true of lifestyle changes. We vow to wake up early, change our diet, exercise regularly—all starting January first.
It’s too much. We’re setting ourselves up for failure.
Successful change is about consistent doing
A daily exercise habit isn’t about the right workout clothes or a new watch. Those might be helpful in some way, but they don’t do the exercise for you. A new cookbook can help, but it won’t make a healthy dinner while you read.
Successful change is about doing. But doing too much isn’t helpful. Yes, some people have epiphanies and change their lives overnight. But far more often, success is the slow compounding of small sustainable changes that become regular habits. And that job is a lot easier when you don’t try to change everything at once.
What’s your one thing?
Last week we asked you what does your future self need most?
If you’re like most people, you probably had a number of answers.
Can you pick just one?
Pick just one area of your life to improve. Is it your diet? Your finances? Your activity level?
Just. Pick. One.
One is something you can get your arms around.
One is something you can put a dent in.
One is enough.
Because if you can change one thing…you can change anything.
What’s your one thing?
Recommended reading: The One Thing by Gary W. Keller and Jay Papasan.