QUOTES - GOALS / RESOLUTIONS

 

At the beginning of a new year it is trendy to make some new resolutions then to quickly break them and go back to doing things the same old way.  People love to make jokes about this topic.  I hear it all the time at the gym this time of year - guys predicting that they will fizzle out in a week or so.  And by the drop in numbers by the end of January, you know, they were right.  Self fulfilling prophesy.

To me, setting and keeping goals if absolutely critical if you want to improve and elevate yourself.  Following are a few of my favorite quotes from outstanding leaders regarding setting goals and keeping resolutions:

"Try a little harder to be a little better."

           Gordon B. Hinckley

"It’s in the doing, not just the thinking, that we accomplish our goals. If we constantly put our goals off, we will never see them fulfilled."

          Thomas S. Monson

"To avoid some of the deepest regrets of life, it would be wise to make some resolutions today."

          Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"You are doing better than you think you are. But we can be better."

          Julie B. Beck

"You can set your goals to make you reach and strain.  Growth comes from setting your goals high and reaching for the stars."

          Spencer W. Kimball

"We can become the masters of our own destinies by practicing self-discipline and by setting worthy goals."

          M. Russell Ballard

"Where performance is measured, performance improves. Where performance is measured and reported, the rate of improvement accelerates."

          Thomas S. Monson

"When change is thought through carefully, it can produce the most rewarding and profound experiences in life."

          Marvin J. Ashton

"Mediocrity will never do. You are capable of something better."

          Gordon B. Hinckley

"There is room for improvement in every life. Regardless of our occupations, regardless of our circumstances, we can improve ourselves and while so doing have an effect on the lives of those about us."

          Gordon B. Hinckley

"We don’t have to be perfect today. We don’t have to be better than someone else. All we have to do is to be the very best we can."

          Joseph B. Wirthlin

"Act now, so that a thousand years from now, when you look back at this moment, you can say this was a moment that mattered — this was a day of determination."

           Neal A. Maxwell

"To reach a goal you have never before attained, you must do things you have never before done."

          Richard G. Scott

 

"Don't you quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead."

          Jeffrey R. Holland

Well there you go.  If that doesn't get you fired up to make your life better or to help someone else I don't know what will.  Here is a TIP FROM A MAN... set some goals.  Be realistic but stretch yourself.  Set goals that you can control.  Set goals that you can measure.  Tell someone else about your goals and ask them to check up on you.  Here is a simple example of a goal that you can accomplish:

GOAL: Run a 10K over Memorial Day weekend (almost 5 months from now)

Here are the steps for success:

1) Find a race and pay the registration fee.  You are now officially invested.

2) Find a friend to run the race with you and make sure that they register and pay the fee.

3) Tell everyone you know that you are going to run the 10K.  Positive peer pressure!

4) Begin a training regimen now - today - immediately.  Start slow and build up over time.  Don't overdo it in the beginning and get too sore or worse injure yourself and quit.  Build up your body and your confidence so that when the day of the race comes you are chomping to get going and not wondering if you are ready.  Train with the friend that is going to run the 10K with you whenever possible.

5) Invest a little bit in the right equipment.  Proper shoes and socks for sure.  Also, get some clothes appropriate for working out / training.  You must like how you look.  It builds confidence and helps you feel like you belong, that this is you and what you do.  If you are in a cold climate, get some gear so that you won't be cold when training outside.  If you think you are going to be cold, that may be all the excuse you need not to train that day.

6) When race day comes, have a great time!  Enjoy running with your friend.  Run the race for a time or run just for fun.  You decide.  Have family or friends at the finish line to cheer for you!  Celebrate this accomplishment.

7) Repeat.  You have officially made a lifestyle change.

This method works just as well in any area of life that you would like to improve... relationships, volunteering, employment, spirituality... everything.  2014 and beyond will be the best of times for you and for me!

Enjoy life.