So, Did You Quit Yet?

So, did you quit yet?

(I’m not talking about your job, though the pace of people leaving their job continues to be at an all-time high.)

Depending on where you are in the world, “Quitter’s Day” was either this past Friday or Monday. It’s the day supposedly where most people give up on their New Year’s resolutions.

The energy behind those good intentions – exercising, going vegan, reading more, getting in touch with old friends – seems to wane, and people abandon their goals.

It’s just too hard, you’re not enjoying it, you can’t keep up with it… so you stop. Then the guilt sets in.

We’ve all been there.

Why is it so hard to keep commitments we make to ourselves?

Here are my three favorite keys to keep resolutions (and any other goal) on track:

1.       Frame it positively: It’s more powerful and sustaining to focus on what you want to do and be vs. what you want to avoid. Instead of saying “I want to lose weight,” focus on what you want to gain – good health, energy, feeling satisfied while eating.

2.       Make it personal: When you achieve this goal, what will change in the way you think, feel, and act? What’s one small thing you can do today to think, feel, and act that way?

3.       Be flexible: Give yourself some compassion along the way and remember it doesn’t have to be all or nothing. If you miss a workout, it’s OK, and you can still make the next one. If you eat something you said you want to avoid, just know change takes time as you master your process for eating differently.

If you made it through Quitter’s Day, congratulations! Keep it up. If you find your motivation lagging, or even if you’ve already moved on, consider how reframing and personalizing your goal can bring back your spark and energy.