Why making realistic resolutions is crucial for success

Just like diets, most of the time, they just don’t work. The reason for such abysmal success rates is likely because the resolutions you’re setting for yourself are way too restrictive.

In my experience, there are two main types of people I train. Let’s call one Mary. Mary is generally a Type A personality who sets goals and will do absolutely anything in her power to reach that goal. And then there’s Joe. Joe’s the type that sets goals that are unattainable to begin with, and insists on an all-or-nothing approach. Then because that inevitable and overwhelming doubt kicks in - not to mention other distractions that come with life, Joe gives up. You may wish you had Mary’s approach. But the issue with that approach is that often, it requires extreme methods of diet and exercise which doesn’t just take an extraordinary amount of effort, it usually results in burn-out and injury.

So, the fact of the matter is, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to setting goals, as we are all starting from different levels. What is apparent in the majority of those who set goals, however, is the need to reign in the goalposts and set more realistic goals. This way, if you just cannot reach those goals for whatever reason, the stress won’t necessarily result in destructive patterns of self-pity or overwhelming feelings of failure. And on the other hand, if you are a Mary, reign them in so that you can still have a life that prioritises balance.