What Would It Take To Keep Your Resolutions This Year?

Of course this is the time of year when many people start wondering about their resolutions, turning over of new leaves and hopes to finally win the battle to lose some pounds, start exercising, quit smoking, begin school or conquer their latest mountain.

And my hunch is that most of those people are pretty serious and sincere in January.

Sadly, so many of those hopes, dreams and goals simply never happen. Why? And what WILL it take for us to finally look back and realize we actually did accomplish something in the new year?

I think there are a couple of key ingredients for success. First, we need a crisis mentality. A good friend of mine just discovered that some cancer he had had removed has returned other places. While it was serious before it's a potential personal crisis now.

I know this. He doesn't need anyone's motivation, list of resolutions or accountability partner to fight this now with all of his being. If he doesn't the results will likely be disastrous. And yes we hope that many of our goals aren't that serious but we need to think more that way. For example, we might need to lose ten pounds or more.

What if we started thinking that if I don't lose this weight I could end up gaining more, becoming more unhealthy and perhaps not be able to enjoy my family the way I could if I got healthier? To not lose weight with this kind of thinking could be a crisis. That would probably motivate us a lot more than just a list.

Second, we must have a plan. The old adage, you don't plan to fail you just fail to plan, fits here. Write down not only your big goal but the little goals you need to get there. Have someone doing it with you if possible. Make deadlines for when you will start, join a club or group, start classes, etc.

Ideally, have an accountability partner keeping tabs on you, too. Plan to work and work the plan.

Third, we must get real. So many of our resolutions are just talk, way beyond our resources or ability and discourage us just thinking about them. So start at a realistic trailhead. Make sure you can accomplish the first few steps before you commit to the bigger ones. And if you can't really do this find something else!

Fourth, anticipate and then enjoy your early successes. Dave Ramsey, financial expert, tells couple in large amounts of debt to first pay off the smallest amount. That way they get success and can apply those funds to the next smallest sum. We need to do the same no matter what our goal is. Get to the first plateau and celebrate it, encourage yourself and look forward to the next one.

Finally, remember that God wants you to grow, become more like Jesus and to be the person He intended. Invite Him into the process, ask Him for strength and wisdom along the way.

If you'll tackle your resolutions wisely and with God's help they might just turn into a personal revolution!

Are You a Don't or Won't Climber

In 1996 the climbing world lost several famous, experienced climbers and others just trying to summit in a set of tragic circumstances chronicled by Jon Krakauer in his book Into Thin Air. Sadly, it was discovered later that one key principle was broken over and over by guides who simply knew better.

That principle? You must be off the summit before 2pm. No exceptions, no other options. Discussions about that guideline were held over and over and yet at least two groups ignored that rule and people died as a result.

You see, some people like Ed Viesturs look at a guideline like that as something they don't do. There isn't any decision that needs to be made in his mind. If  it's two o'clock or will be before you summit you turn around and head down. Perhaps a closer to home example of this would be for someone who has a serious food allergy such as peanuts.

People with a peanut allergy know that they can die if they eat even one small nut, so they have developed a don't mentality about peanuts. Even if the Queen of England or the President invites them to a meal and peanuts are served, they don't eat them - period.

On the other hand if you just think that you usually won't do something you have a harder time deciding.  You base your decisions on the circumstances, what others think and how they might react. So sometimes you give in just to please people or avoid extra drama. With some things that may not be a big deal but with other decisions a wrong or hasty choice can be destructive and dangerous.

So just like on Everest there are probably some things we need to turn into Don't choices that can keep us safe, healthy and growing.  Ask yourself, How should I fill in this blank:  I don't ____________________  any more?  Maybe it's that you don't argue with people about things that don't matter, you don't give in to everyone else's demands or you don't take unhealty and ptentially dangerous risks that you used to take.

You figure out what's best and stick to it.  But let me warn you that sometimes your friends will disagree or think you're too legalistic or rigid.  Keep your commitments anyway.  It's your life and sometimes our choices can really mess up a good thing.

And once you come up with your Don't list start living with it.  Make decisions with your don't list in mind. Compliment yourself or enjoy the compliments of others when they see you stand strong.  If you're going to continue climbing, you have to know what you will and not do.  And it's pretty important that you decide before you get some place where it's especially hard to make the right decision.

Never quit climbing.

When Climbing Being Responsible Is Our Responsibility

I was looking at an ad the other day and somewhere in it I read, Please Eat Responsibly.  Really?  Do we need to be told that? It's like those funny, but real directions that people have used on products. Are they truly necessary?

For example, on a new iron some directions once said, Please do not iron clothes while on body. Or on a hair dryer label someone wrote: Do not use while sleeping.

There seems to be a point when it should be obvious that things like that are our responsibility to know and do or not do. While we can't control what everyone else does we can control our part.

And that's vital in climbing. Of course on a mountain or the side of a cliff, good preparation is key. You learn as much as you can about the task before you, you check the weather reports and you evaluate your team. All of that helps you determine the gear you'll need for the day.

Life climbs require similar kinds of responsible planning. When things go wrong we can't blame others if we haven't done our part.

Do you ask good questions? Do you do research? Do you talk to people who've walked your journey or climbed your mountain before you? Do you have good, honest, assertive people around you who will tell you the truth, help you evaluate the data and even walk with you part of the way?

Do you take care of yourself, rest enough, eat right and do things that fill you rather than drain you? Have you become isolated from people?

We're the ones responsible to do those things and we should remind ourselves that we do have control over those things.

Your mountain will still likely be challenging but you'll avoid unnecessary accidents and pitfalls if you'll take responsibility for the obvious things that you must do ahead of time. And whatever you do when you iron, only use an ironing board.