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New Years Resolution Blog

Keep Moving Forward

Precision Orthopedics By Precision
January 19, 2022 | Sports-Related Injuries

“The greatest illusion,” said the mole, “is that life should be perfect.”

The above quote, (along with all other quotes dotted throughout this article) is taken from the book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse, by Charlie Mackesy.

We all know the feeling of setting some incredibly believable, life-changing New Year’s resolutions; only to have them torn down at the slightest disruption to routine in the 2nd week of January. You’re not alone. In fact, as I type this article on the 7th of January, only a mere week into 2022, I have been hit hard and confined to my apartment with Coronavirus. 

Goodbye new workout routine intended on burning off all wrongdoings over the festive season. Goodbye new diet intended on trimming my waistline to the one I had at 22 years old. 

What now, wait until 2023?

“One of our greatest freedoms is how we react to things.”

Don’t let the obstacles stop you. As you may have already noticed, through experience of your own, life has a funny way of throwing the odd spanner in the works from time to time, or an obstacle in your otherwise clear path to goals and objectives. The route may have to be diverted temporarily, but that doesn’t mean you should stop moving forward. 

“I can’t see a way through” Said the boy

‘“Can you see the next step?” Said the horse

“Yes”

“Just take that” 

Walking a mile requires thousands of steps. Steps that may be over, under, or around small obstacles.

Why not also use the inevitable obstacles to create moments of reflection on the goal(s) at hand? You might actually gain a new insight here or there. 

Try it.

It usually only takes a couple of minutes, but the benefits can be priceless. Let’s use weight loss as an example, as it’s surely the most common goal we share after a period of much-needed guilty pleasures. 

One of the most frequent mistakes to make is to set an immeasurable goal.

‘I want to lose weight.’

Great! So by getting a haircut you’ve already accomplished your goal. Now, where are those party leftovers? Wrong. Instead, try starting out with something that you can actually count. 

‘I want to lose 20lbs.’

That’s better. That’s much more weight loss than what a haircut could provide (unless you’re Rapunzel), so let’s move forward with that a little further. 

What kind of timeline are you working with? Is it, like the rest of us, a summer deadline? 

Think about it: beach season opens, as does your shirt on the shores of your imagination, as everyone turns in admiration of your new waistline that steals the attention of the hot tropical sun, lightly kissing the crystal blue waters. 

Awesome, so that’s just under 24 weeks away! 

20 lbs in 24 weeks

20 ÷ 24 = 0.83

Success! We now have a measurable, timely objective of 0.83 lbs per week, for 24 weeks. What do you have to do every week in order to make sure you’re losing 0.83 lbs? Calorie counting, step tracking, regular exercise, portion control, better sleep, less stress, and adequate hydration can all contribute towards making this journey an easy one. But you’ll probably find that only a couple of small changes are needed for big results. 

When it comes to weight loss (or the majority of other goals you may have set yourself), it simply comes down to applying the new lifestyle changes necessary to reach those goals and sticking with those changes most of the time. I say ‘most’ of the time, because you’ll be surprised at how much an 80% consistency rate can lead to 100% success with your goals.

“This is getting harder” sighed the boy. 

“Then every step you take is a bigger victory”

Yes, you will slip up, yes, there will be obstacles, yes, it will be challenging. But the key is to keep moving forward. Whether it be with small steps, medium steps, side steps, or giant leaps; just keep moving forward. 

Below are a number of free resources to help you get and remain on track with your goals. Take advantage of them, and let us know how you get on!