Your Most Important Habit Of the New Year

By Jon DiCandilo, ATC, CSCS

Most people have dreams or have dreamed of ways to enrich their life. Whether it is a dream vacation, a stronger relationship with someone dear, or a healthier lifestyle, we can usually find a way to improve. However, good things come to those who intentionally develop a way to reach their objective. Significant achievements are the result of small changes over time. Delayed satisfaction is certainly not something we are used to handling but you should take patient and measured steps towards your dream.

Habits determine outcomes

Year after year, health improvement is the top resolution set by people. Yet only 8% of resolutions are actually realized, a statistic so dreadful there is a clinical term given to this process, “false hope syndrome”.

Making wise choices concerning your lifestyle is a noble endeavor but often the needed change is too drastic compared to your current habits. Rather than waiting for the indulgent holiday season to take its toll, establish a new habit now. Often the first step is the hardest but one step turns to many others and before long you have developed a habit. Leadership mentor Michael Hyatt calls this a habit step the habit becomes the step towards a larger goal.

Good Traits Of Good Habits

Good habits can be established using similar principles of good goal setting. Keep them

S.M.A.R.T. Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time-bound. For example

Goal = Lose 30 pounds by summer

o Habit = Refuse to drink calories during the week

o Habit = Eat a vegetable at each meal

o Habit = Take a walk after dinner

Goal = Read a book each month

o Habit = Turn TV off at 9 30pm daily

o Habit = Read 30 minutes before bed

In the beginning of the TV series Ozark , the narrator begins the show by saying, “…money is a measure. At its essence, money is the measure of a man's choices.” The same can be said about our health. Which habits can you develop to pave the path towards a change for the upcoming year? Take a quick measure and identify those habits that align with your dreams.

What's the most important habit you would like to develop this coming year?