First a quote: “Character is the ability to carry out a good resolution long after the excitement of the moment has passed .” – Cavett Robert
Hello and Happy New Year !
It’s hard to believe we’re about to enter 2025!
Doesn’t that sound so futuristic, especially for those of us born in the 1950’s? Speaking of the future, do you remember the song “In the Year 2525” by Zager and Evans, released in 1969?
Have you ever said—or heard someone else say—something like:
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“I don’t make New Year’s resolutions because they never last.”
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“Diets don’t work.”
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“I don’t believe in resolutions because they always fail.”
There’s some truth to these statements. Just ask anyone who regularly and consistently goes to the gym. Most will tell you their least favorite time of year is early January, when gyms are crowded with well-intentioned “New Year’s Resolution People.” Sadly, by the end of January, gym attendance typically returns to normal as resolutions give way to old habits.
(Did you know “Quitter’s Day” is a real thing? That is the average day by which most resolutions fall by the wayside. This year it will be Friday, January 10th.)
However, I believe resolutions can work if we remain committed, as Cavett Robert suggests, long after the initial excitement fades. Resolutions succeed when their creators stay resolute—and therein lies the challenge.
Our past behaviors and habits, whether good or bad, act like powerful “tractor beams” or the pull of gravity. Breaking free to establish new habits requires significant energy and focus.
Are you considering any resolutions for the new year? If so, I’d recommend focusing on specific, measurable habits rather than broad resolutions. Reflect on which of your current habits support your goals and which work against them. Too often, habits that shape our lives are adopted unintentionally, without much thought.
My advice? Instead of making traditional resolutions, identify two important habits you could either create, eliminate, or intentionally replace. This small but deliberate change could have a meaningful impact on your health, relationships, career, or life.
Measurable habits lead to greater success. Commit to working on these new habits for at least 45 days to establish them firmly. Don’t hold yourself to perfection, just don’t give up when you don’t “feel like” continuing.
As John Maxwell wisely said:
“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.”
I couldn’t agree more!
Related Monday Morning Minute articles:
Bonus quotes below.
Happy New Year, and my very best wishes for 2025!
PS, I’ll be off for another couple of weeks yet. This week, I’ll be in Phoenix cheering on our Boise State Broncos!! We’re planning for yet another huge upset win! Sorry to all of my Penn State friends.
Sincerely,
Bryan Yager
“Expanding Your Capacity for Success”
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Bonus Quotes:
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“Depending on what they are, our habits will either make us or break us. We become what we repeatedly do.” ― Sean Covey
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“Excellence is an art won by training and habituation.” ― Aristotle
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“It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.” ― Benjamin Franklin
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“Successful people aren’t born that way. They become successful by establishing the habit of doing things unsuccessful people don’t like to do.” ― William Makepeace Thackeray
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“The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken.” ― Samuel Johnson
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“Habit is a cable; we weave a thread each day, and at last we cannot break it.” ― Horace Mann
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“If you are going to achieve excellence in big things, you develop the habit in little matters. Excellence is not an exception; it is a prevailing attitude.” ― Colin Powell
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“Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.” ― Vince Lombardi
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“You leave old habits behind by starting out with the thought, ‘I release the need for this in my life.’” ― Wayne Dyer
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“I have learned that champions aren’t just born; champions can be made when they embrace and commit to life-changing positive habits.” ― Lewis Howes
