On Resolving

The ads in the paper show a clear trend. In addition to “an additional 50% off” on merchandise left over from the Christmas buying binge, the hot items all have to do with exercise. Now is the time to buy treadmills, elliptical trainers, weight machines, yoga mats, athletic shoes, and workout clothing.

January is the month we all resolve to loose that extra weight we picked up in December eating cookies as well as the extra weight we picked up before that eating chili cheese fries and other delicacies.

A few years ago, a friend resolved to solve his weight and health problems by running the New York Marathon—all 26.3 miles of it. He was fifty years old, about fifty pounds overweight, and on the threshold of significant medical problems. Once his doctor gave him the okay, he was off and running. His success is a great model of successful change.

First, he had a compelling reason to succeed. He came to believe deep down inside that he was faced with the choice between getting into shape or dying young. He chose to get into shape. We humans rarely make difficult changes because we have a vague notion that it would be nice if something was different. We need a carrot and a stick. Whether you resolve to get into shape, to learn to play the flute, or to get another job, you need a compelling reason if you expect to maintain the effort required to accomplish the resolution. Ask yourself: What are the consequences of doing nothing? What are the benefits of action?

Second, he knew he didn’t need to run the marathon by the following Tuesday. He had 11 months to prepare and started methodically putting one foot in front of the other (so to speak). When he began, he could barely make it one mile without some walking. But over time, one mile turned into two, turned into four, turned into ten, turned into a half-marathon, turned into New York and later Richmond, Boston, and others. That is, he started with small, reasonable steps as part of a larger long-term plan.

Third, he got the help and encouragement he needed. To keep himself motivated, he joined a training team. It was not a training team for a marathon, but for a 10-kilometer race (about 6.2 miles). Every Saturday he ran with a group of people who were in similar shape and ran at his pace. During the week, he had running assignments preparing him for the next Saturday—always a longer run than the previous one. And so it went until race day. Then after successfully running a 10K, he joined a marathon training team. At no point did he try to go it alone. He ran in community and that made all the difference.

If our resolutions are anything more than vague wishes, we need to same three strategies: find a compelling reason to change, begin with small steps as part of a larger plan, and get the help and encouragement needed to make the resolution a reality.