If NEW YEAR’S resolutions are kept beyond January, people will be getting healthier, quitting smoking and becoming more community-minded.
With less than 3 days in 2009, people are now turning their attention to setting goals and what they want to achieve in 2010 and New Year’s Resolutions.
The Top Ten Resolutions include:
•1. Stop smoking
•2. Get Fit
•3. Lose Weight
•4. Enjoy Life More
•5. Quit Drinking
•6. Get Organised
•7. Learn Something New
•8. Get Out of Debt
•9. Spend more time with the Family
•10. Help Others
Losing weight, giving up bad habits and donating to charity are top of the list for people resolving to improve themselves, and after a year of belt tightening, the business information analyst IBISWorld predicts certain industries will be counting on people’s cash as they fulfil their promises.
Increased awareness of healthy lifestyles and guilt from festive over-indulgence will see the weight-loss industry take $111.8 million in January as gyms and health clubs with at least 12 per cent growth in new members for the month.
The national fitness manager at Fitness First, Dominic dos Remedios, said January brought in influx of people.
”Unfortunately, a lot of people drop off because they set massive expectations,” he said. ”I would suggest taking their goal and breaking it into bite-size, achievable chunks.”
Holidaying from Auckland, Rebecca Mentor said her experience of losing weight had inspired her to help others do the same. ”I’d like to set up my own fat fighters movement,” she said.
Mark Long said that in his Erskineville household there was lots of yelling around the house when family members wanted to talk to one another. ”My resolution is you walk to the person you want to talk to,” he said.
January 1 is traditionally a busy day for Quitline, with smokers resolving to start the year by kicking the habit, the Cancer Institute NSW’s cancer prevention program manager, Anita Dessaix, said. ”New Year’s Day is typically one of those milestones that smokers set for quitting,” she said. ”If the motive is there, quit immediately.”
IBISWorld predicts charitable donations in January will be those that require only a small investment but still help a community, such as sponsoring a child.
The marketing and communications director of Plan Australia, Aimee Suchard-Lowe, said donating was not about feeling guilty. ”It should be about someone saying: ‘This year I want to make a difference to my life and other people’s lives’,” she said. ”It should be that positive impact.”
A study by the University of Hertfordshire, in Britain, found less than one-quarter of those who set themselves a goal for 2010 would be likely to succeed, and the remainder would feel despondent at having broken their resolutions.
Of those who fail, many would focus on the downside of not achieving the goals, suppress cravings, fantasise about being successful and rely on willpower alone.
Those who set smaller goals had an average success rate of 35 per cent, while those with strategies like keeping a diary and telling friends about their goal had a 50 per cent chance.
The best way to achieve your Resolutions and goals in 2010 is to keep it simple.
How do you keep it simple you may well ask?
Statistic: 95% of New Year’s Resolutions are never achieved.
Only 5% have the intestinal fortitude to follow through with their commitment! If you are committed, if you want it bad enough, if you are prepared to do whatever it takes and if you don’t quit….you will achieve your goal. There are no excuses only all the reasons in the world why you did not achieve your goal.
1. Identify your goals – in the 5 key areas of career, finance, health & fitness, family/relationships and personal growth
2. What benefits will I achieve reaching this goal? Eg. Losing 5kgs – increase in energy, able to keep up with the kids, able to fit into my favourite pair of jeans or that special dress
3. What are the major obstacles to overcome to reach your goal? – Eg. Cut back on junk food – 1. check your fridge & cupboards for junk food 2. go shopping on a full stomach as opposed to when you are hungry (you will be amazed at the difference of your food in your trolley and the money saved in your pocket.)
4. What skills or knowledge is required to achieve your goal? Eg. Health & Fitness – reading up on personal trainers, costs, program types, gym memberships
5. What are the individuals, groups or companies and organisations to work with to achieve your goal? Eg. Finance – clear credit card debt. Tell a friend, find a buddy who will hold you accountable and will support you with your goal. Join Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig etc.
6. Completion Date – when do wish for your goal to be achieved
7. Celebrate Success – how are you going to celebrate achieving your goal!
And remember: if you don’t quit…you will make it!
Cheers Shelley Taylor-Smith
PS: Need help deciding how to Create Your Own Champion Mindset and keep it simple in 2010, realising that with so much to do and only 24hrs a day to do it? Call Champion Mindset office on 1300 78 41 70 and ask to Pick Shelley’s Brain for 10mins for FR.eE!
