1. Never say never
Refrain from saying “I will never eat this cake again. I will never smoke again, I will never eat after 7:00 pm again…”Don’t commit to be perfect. Only commit to do your best and to be honest with yourself.
2. IM- Possible
Make BIG dreams possible by tackling enough of Small impossible goals on a daily basis.
3. Be patient with yourself
Give yourself some time to build a new habit. One of the problems with New Year’s resolutions is time frame. Cancel the “I want everything NOW” mind set. Most of the resolutions failed because you haven’t given them time to work.
4. Be in the Flow state
Extreme athletes are better at entering the flow state, i.e., “the zone” in which we achieve optimal performance and feel our best. What brings and keeps you in the flow? Yoga, gym, walks, meditation, music, tai chi, skating, skiing. Find your own flow and practice being in it daily.
5. Find your True Motivations
Make a list of EMOTIONAL reasons why you want to achieve your goal. Ask yourself “why do I want to succeed?” Read them to yourself often.
6. Compete with yourself and win
Only compare yourself with yourself. Always compete with yourself and do your best to win.
7. Reward yourself
Praise yourself every time you make an IM-possible possible. The reward response neuro- chemicals (dopamine, endorphins, serotonin, norepinephrine, anandamide) are very powerful and addictive in a good way.
The more reward neuro-chemicals show up during the time of learning a new habit, the faster you will master the habit.
8. “Practice being your best when you are at your worst”
Commit to never give up and just keep moving forward no matter what.