This is the year you truly reach your goals

The new year is finally here. Nothing has physically changed in the atmosphere, but you can almost taste the newness in the air, especially if you go to the gym right now.

Gyms and fitness clubs everywhere are packed during this “resolution” season. Individuals seeking to lose weight or tone up are buying gym memberships, diet books and exercise equipment to invest in what they believe will be a re-defining year for them healthwise. The gym might be so packed that you have to wait 10 minutes just for an elliptical machine.

New year’s motivation is a good thing, but you and I already know that most of this doesn’t last. You’ve probably heard me mention the statistic that more than 80 percent of people fail to keep their New Year’s resolutions. Some avoid using the term “resolution” for their new year fitness goal and opt for terms such as “commitment” or “goal,” but let’s be real — it’s really all the same thing.

If you’re starting your own new health venture this year, ask yourself this question: “How can I guarantee my success?”

I don’t know about you, but when I set goals and repeatedly fail to reach them, I become frustrated, disillusioned and tempted to quit. I feel that at some point, I have to either reach my goal or stop setting the goal. Failing gets just a little old after a while.

Let’s say, for example, that you are an individual who wants to lose 30 pounds this year. Let’s also say that you set the same goal last year and failed to reach it. What’s going to keep you from repeating what happened last year?

First, consider this: For the most part, when we set goals, we define success by reaching a certain milestone — in this case, 30 pounds of weight loss — and we set a date by which we are to accomplish the goals. There’s no problem with defining goals.

As a matter of fact, I encourage defining what success means rather than leaving a goal open-ended. But two problems often arise with goal setting.

One, maintaining your health is ultimately a life-long endeavor that must go beyond just trying to get ready for class reunions and beach trips. Two, once we accomplish goals, we often psychologically feel as if we’ve “finished” and we stop the healthy habits we developed to reach our goals.

The second thing to consider for the person trying to lose 30 pounds in 2017 is, you have to be so serious about doing it that you obligate yourself to do what you have to do. Give yourself no way to compromise.

For some, buying gym memberships is enough to get them working out consistently. But not everybody is going to be obligated by buying something. Sometimes we think buying something is going to get us going, but all we end up doing is lining someone else’s pockets with our money.

Obligating yourself might mean that you get an accountability system of friends who you know won’t let you give up. Obligating yourself might mean that you bring your lunch to work every day and eliminate restaurant eating from your budget.

Leave yourself no option but to do what you have to do, and be honest about what that means for you personally.

I’m rooting for you in 2017 to make some big health accomplishments. Just make sure that you’re in it for the long haul, and that you don’t give yourself a way out. That is, if you want this year to be different!

This story was originally published January 5, 2017 at 11:49 AM with the headline "This is the year you truly reach your goals."