Happy New Year Resolution Pitfalls and how to prepare for DHT28 Challenge

So , wherever you're at in the world , I hope you had a fantastic holiday season and in this episode , you know we want to make 2024 the best year yet , right ? So we're going to talk about one of the greatest pitfalls for New Year's resolutions that causes everyone to fade out after two weeks .

So we're going to give you the pitfall and three strategies that will help you crush 2024 . And we're also going to do a primer for those doing the Do Heart Things 28 challenge . The Do Heart Things 28 is kicking off on the first .

If you're listening to this later , if you just go to DoOurThingsNationcom and you click on the challenge tab , we have monthly challenges , but the Do Heart Things 28 is going to be , say , our signature challenge that we have running and you can download the sheets and do it anytime you want , but we're going to have a group .

That's kicking off on the first and for those that are late hey , if you're a couple of days late to the party , totally cool . Go to DoOurThingsNationcom . Go click on the challenge tab , download your sheets , then join us in the Facebook community and you can start off whenever you want to .

It's a rolling start , but the mass start is going to be on the first , and so , before we get into today's episode , make sure you smash that subscribe button so you're notified of future episodes . We're on Spotify , apple and Pocketcast and please take a moment , go over to Apple iTunes . Leave us a review .

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Just had someone reach out to me last night . They heard an episode that caused them to take pause . It was an episode about purpose and basically they thanked me .

It led them to stop their current job because they were just doing it for a paycheck and basically change their career track and do something that is more fulfilling and happy and that's really cool to hear and to capture those stories . So they mean a lot and so , yeah , we love hearing from you . This episode is sponsored by the Do Heart Things Nation .

This is a community committed to living a life on offense , united by focus on continuous self-improvement through mindset and movement . We have monthly challenges , apparel that inspires , in-person events , virtual events , running coaching plans , mindset performance coaching , and there's also book clubs .

So if you want to be part of a network , receive frameworks to help you dominate and crush life challenges , to grow accountability . You want running coaching , go to DoHeartThingsNationcom . Upcoming events we've got the Do Heart Things 28 kicking off tomorrow .

We've got the Tajji 100 in February , rock and Roll Marathon in April , do Heart Things 9-11 , run and Rook in September , usmc in October , and there's going to be many , many more . So go to DoHeartThingsNationcom to learn the latest and greatest . So , first and foremost , you did it . You survived 2023 .

Congratulations , and I know that we live in an interesting time . There's a lot of things happening politically , there's a lot of things happening in a lot of people's lives , and this is time , just like every year , time for a fresh start .

I personally don't subscribe to the idea of New Year's resolutions , I think , because , as we all know , people don't stick to them . I think that your New Year's resolution should be a continuous process of goal setting and planning and it shouldn't just be a once a year self-reflection and then proclaiming one big goal and then not achieving it .

There's a lot of people that do that and I don't subscribe to that . So if you want to make 2024 your very best , I want you to avoid this one New Year's resolution pitfall that causes people to quit after two weeks . So the pitfall is really setting an overly ambitious goal without a step-by-step plan . That's the big pitfall .

People start strong but burn out quickly because their goals are too broad , maybe it's too demanding , maybe it was a goal that wasn't really theirs . There was a big challenge in a group of people and it was the whole FOMO effect . And you need a goal that excites you and that it's not someone else's .

And I want to emphasize that it's your goal that excites you . And the first strategy to help you craft that goal is really we need clarity , we need to set realistic and specific goals . That strategy number one is to set realistic and specific goals .

We want to use the smart mnemonic , if you've ever heard the smart framework specific , measurable , attainable , relative and time bound . So you got to get really specific and clear about what you want to achieve . That way you can see it and visualize it and plan for it . It's got to be measurable .

You have to have tactics and daily action steps that enable you to line up so you can achieve and track that particular goal . It's got to be something attainable . It's got to be something that's realistic .

Now , it should be something that causes you to get out of your comfort zone , but it should , you know , make you a little I don't know , maybe a little anxious or nervous . If you will Not anxious but nervous , like man , it's like that's really going to cause you to pull yourself out of your comfort zone . It's got to be relative .

It's got to be something that is in alignment with your big picture , in your , in your why in life . It's got to be time bound . The time boundary enables us to have a backstop , if you will , a boundary for that goal accomplishment . And so many people you know they have a goal like well , I just want to lose weight , I just want to lose 10 pounds .

So I mean , 10 pounds is something that's measurable , but there's no time bound on it and it's not . That's why so many people kind of yo-yo with their diet . People are like I want to make more money , but they don't . They don't clarify the specific amount and by when .

And if you don't have specific , measurable , attainable , relative and time bound goals , it's going to be very difficult for you to see it through . So when you follow that framework , it's something that will keep you on track , you can measure it and you're more likely to achieve it . Strategy number two building accountability and support .

I'm a big fan of burning the ships and that's really proclaiming what it is that you're doing . This kind of harkens back to the story of the oh burn the ships , which is the conquering of the Aztecs . I know it's kind of a morbid story , but there was a ship captain by the name of Hernando Cortez who led his Spanish conquistadors to overtake the Aztecs .

Now , whether or not this is true or not I don't know , but it's been recited a lot and it just just bear with me on the story . He basically told his men , who are completely outnumbered , that hey , we're going to burn the ships . And they were like looking at him like what , what dude , we're going to burn the ships .

How are we going to get back to Spain ? He's like , if we're going to make it back , we're going to take their boats . And so that inspired his men to fight and they ultimately dominated the Aztecs and hence burn the ships . Right , there's no going back , like proclaiming it and leaving no way out , where you have no other alternative but to achieve your goal .

And when it comes to you know your New Year's resolution you need to be able to identify what that goal is . Tell other people and you know , surround yourself with people that are going to clap when you win , who are going to support you , that are going to encourage you .

And you probably know people in your life that if you tell them a goal , they're going to be jealous . They may not be the most supportive , they may tell you that you can't do it . And you need to be cautious of these people . Turn the volume down , maybe distance yourself from them , because they're not going to be the ones that are going to help you win .

You've got to surround yourself with a tribe of people that will help you win , hence why we created the Do Our Things Nation . So if you need a tribe , you need new people that are growth-minded , that want to crush it .

Well , here's your community , here's your tribe , but it's critically important inventory of those people in your life that are going to help , support you or not . And you need to put the right people around you to help you achieve your goal . Strategy number three to achieve your goals , you've got to reflect and adjust .

You've got to be able to track and measure your progress . Hence , that's why we use the smart framework . You've got to remember why you started . This is critically important .

When you have a goal in mind , it's got to be so powerful that it excites you , and you've got to remember why you're trying to attain it , because there's going to be moments where you're going to be pulled to the side . I call them side quests .

Something's going to happen , like your car's going to break down , you're going to get sick , maybe a family member gets sick , maybe there's like a death in the family . You're going to have to go do the side quest .

But then , when you come back from the side quest , what happens is people aren't in touch with their goal and they start something new because they weren't in touch with it . That makes sense . So when you come back off the side quest . You've got to get back to what you were trying to do . Just like a video game , right ?

Video game , I think , of Zelda right , the whole purpose of Legend of Zelda was to save the princess . That's the ultimate goal .

However , on the part of this journey , you've got to do all these little side quests , like you've got to go get the key to unlock the case , to get the bow and arrow that you need to go kill the monster , and you've got all these little things that you've got to do . Right , but the ultimate goal is to get back and save the princess .

This is why most people don't achieve their goals . They get caught up in these side quests and they forget what their ultimate goal is . It's so far out there , it's not on their dashboard . So when they come back , they start something new and that's why they don't gain traction . So , yeah , so that's critically important .

So you want to make sure that you reflect , you adjust accordingly . It's part of your daily plan and tracking measurements and that way you can get back on track when the side quest is over . And so that's it . Those are your three strategies Set realistic and specific goals , build accountability and support and then reflect and adjust as you need to .

So don't let your 2024 resolution slip away or fail . Like most people , if you need help or support , join our community . You can click on . Well , in the show notes you can click on just go to doourthingsnationcom . That's the best way , and we've got our Facebook community and we're on all platforms . So feel free to join us and that's it .

And so those are your three strategies Set realistic , specific goals , build accountability and support , reflect and adjust and that's how you're going to conquer your 2024 and get a jumpstart . Now for those doing the Do Heart Things 28, .

Just a quick primer for you guys how to set yourselves up for success on this one is you're going to go to doourthingsnationcom . You're going to click on challenges . You're going to download your sheets .

There are eight tasks , eight tasks Okay , you're going to get your worksheet and they're all designed to help you develop mindset , grit , keep you , develop energy , energizing habits . They're going to help you crush 2024 . The first one is gratitude , movement , hydrate , growth , meditate , recharge and fuel , and there's a point system and tracking sheet .

It's pretty self-explanatory . You get one , two or three points , depending on how active you are that day , and then you're going to keep tally of your score . We're going to have prizes and handouts . I'm going to be doing a couple . I'm going to do a weekly high-performance coaching session for everyone for free .

The challenge is free , the coaching sessions are free , and this is going to help get you started . So for those that are participating , here's your primer . Okay , some things to consider to help you set yourself up for success .

This is just as much of an exercise in time management , life management , as anything else . You need to have a plan . You need to look ahead and figure out how are you going to execute these daily tasks . When are you going to exercise ? When are you going to meal prep ?

When are you going to time block , your time for your own personal growth and development ? When are you going to meditate and how much time are you going to allocate to these items ? And you might have to say no to some things , those things that are going to hold you back or not .

They're not in alignment with what you're ultimately wanting to do , and that's what this whole Exercise is all about . A lot of people say it takes 21 days to develop habits . There's a few schools of thought on this . I think it takes 21 days to develop habits that you think about . It takes a little bit longer to make it .

You know , basically , habits that you don't think about , that are ingrained , but you live and die by your habits , and this is designed to create sustainable habits that are going to improve your Physical well-being , your emotional help well-being , your spiritual well-being and give you , a man , a huge boost of energy .

When we ran this we've ran this challenge before a couple times and a lot of people reported , you know , back that they were just feeling so much better , like their energy was through the roof . They're getting better sleep , they're managing their stress better . That's what's all about . It's all about developing healthy and sustainable habits .

So , things that sets you up for success as far as your fuel and nutrition get rid of all the junk food that's in your house . Get rid of those temptations . Get rid of the cookies , because if that stuff's there , you're gonna get the . You're gonna , you're gonna get a hankering at some point and you're gonna you're gonna trip up .

You don't want to do that , right , you want to . You know , you want to habit stack . You want to set yourself up for success .

Put your workout clothes , your running shoes , all the things that you need to work out , lay them out the night before so you reduce the friction and the resistance and that way you know it's there , you get up and you , you , that that's what . Ultimately , what you want to do is reduce the friction .

If you ever read the book , atomic habits talks all about this . You want to stack your habits . I recommend a great book is the miracle morning , where you spend the first hour of your day focusing on yourself . All of these tasks can be done in an hour and you can be done Well , a little bit over an hour if you do the workout right .

But you know you want to stack these habits . Time block that period of time where you're gonna focus on yourself . You know . Have your book laid out where you need it to . When it comes to fueling this is a big one your nutrition , aside from getting rid of the junk food , you may want to do some meal prepping right .

Have you what you need prepared and ready to go ? Have your water bottle out , ready to go and top that bad boy off in the morning before you start the day . Yeah , and you know , I Would highly encourage you and you got to do hard things nation , community , but find a someone that you know to do the challenge with you , to help hold you accountable .

That's going to be incredibly important , but a lot of this is going to be your success will be determined by how well that you can manage and time block , and it's just as much of an exercise and time management as it is in anything else .

So those are just some things to to consider as you move forward and , just you know , have a compelling reason why you're doing this . There's a reason that you signed up to do this challenge , and that's another big tip . Identify why you're doing this , write it down and then put it somewhere . You can see it daily . Because you're gonna have that off day .

It's going to get hard . There's going to be a day where you're going to be tempted . You're not feeling it . You're . You know something . You're just feeling sick or whatever .

Whatever the , you know , those , the , the , the bitch voice , excuses that that pop into your head are going to try to derail you , and I'm going to teach this block of instruction during one of the high-performance sessions . But there's five states of emotional change when you get to that value of despair .

That's usually where people quit Whatever endeavor they're pursuing . They quit because they just can't see the finish line , or they succumb to their previous bad habits . They succumb to the inner voice that's telling them to take the comfortable route . That's the interesting thing that we struggle with as humans .

We have this dichotomy of yeah , we like to do hard things , we are gritty , we are able to push through and accomplish things , but we also part of our survival mechanism that's biologically wired is to not to conserve our energy , to be comfortable , to slow down . It's that inner dialogue that keeps us from achieving our goals . You've got to be aware of that .

When you have those hard days , you've got to be able to remember why you started and push through anyway . So that's it . That's it . We talked a little bit about the new year . New me gave you the number one pitfall that causes us to quit , which is ultimately not setting ambiguous goals without a step-by-step plan .

We gave you three strategies to help you overcome that . Set realistic and specific goals using the smart , mnemonic specific , measurable , attainable , relative and time-bound . Strategy number two is build accountability and support . Strategy number three is reflect and adjust .

If you want to jumpstart into 2024 , right then join us . Do Hard Things Challenge . You can go to dohardthingsnationcom . It's free . Go to your worksheets and tracker habit tracker and we'll see you in the community page , and that's it . I wish you the best going into 2024 . And it's going to be an exciting year .

It's going to be an exciting year because you've planned for it and you want it , and it's just don't get caught up in all the white noise . This is going to be a year where there's going to be a lot of it's an election year and there's a lot of emotion .

The best way that you can make the world a better place is by making yourself better , and that's what the Do Hard Things Nation is all about Improving your mind , improving your body so you can step up and be the role model that you need to be .

That's how you cultivate grit and resilience and how you can navigate life's challenges and struggles , and you need to be around the right community . So go to dohardthingsnationcom , join us there , and I'm looking forward to everything that we have going on this year with the Do Hard Things Nation .

I appreciate everyone's support and we will see you guys in the next episode . Keep doing hard things and , as Angie would say , make somebody smile , because you never know what someone's going through , and that's how you can make an impact . It's through those simple actions of being kind , and that's it . Happy New Year .

Do hard things and I'll see you guys in the next episode .