Oh those resolutions! 5 tips on how not to crush yours

New year - new challenges. A tired cliché, usually ending tragically. I'll lose 10 pounds, work on my abs everyday, run my fastest marathon, stretch more, do Everesting on a bike, clear a 9-dart target...

New Year's visions are a great opportunity to improve fitness, performance or overall health. That's simply a fact. Throw away what has been and focus all your efforts on what will happen starting January 1. Despite the initial enthusiasm, however, many give up in the first few weeks. Don't be like them.

Why are resolutions usually doomed to failure?

According to a survey by Strava, up to 80% of New Year's resolutions don't last until mid-February. The main reason is that many goals are too ambitious or vaguely defined. For example, a goal to 'lose weight' is too general, while a specific plan like 'lose 5kg in 3 months' is much more realistic. And that's just the way it should be. Don't be intoxicated by New Year's Eve champagne and instead choose a path that grows on solid foundations.

Five strategies to stick to your New Year's resolutions

1. Set realistic goals: specific, measurable, achievable and time-bound goals increase the likelihood of success. I don't want to run a marathon in under 3 hours if your only movement in 25 years has been sprinting for the bus.Everything has a time and sequence, whether it's trying to learn to eat well, bench press 130 pounds, or swim 100 yards of butterfly so you don't drown.

2. Create a routine: Regular workouts and fixed habits are the key to long-term success. Don't ignore your ready sneakers, don't make excuses for lack of time, don't look for cheap excuses to break your streak. Because that's when it's much harder to get started. It's different if you forgive yourself in case of overtraining or illness, but laziness has no place in this case.

3. Work on mental barriers: Learn to manage inner doubts and visualize your success. Research shows that positive visualization, imagining yourself achieving success, boosts confidence and helps you persevere. For example, if you're training for your first 5K run, imagine yourself running across the finish line, hearing the cheers and feeling proud of what you've accomplished. Remind yourself why you started, what you sacrificed to get there, and tell yourself that each small step brings you closer to achieving your dream.

   And it's true, with each workout and effort you get closer to becoming a stronger, more enduring version of yourself.

4. Find a community or a partner: Support from others greatly increases the chances of staying in training. If you do anything with someone else, it's always an extra motivation to make it through the tough trials. Don't feel like going to practice? Your buddy, on the other hand, wants to and will pull you along on his positive wave with him. A cold shower at home sounds like a nightmare for many. That's also why many prefer to toughen up in a party. Come to the lake, warm up, take a breath and soak in the water. You won't be the only one stuck on the shore and face the taunts of others...

5. Celebrate the small victories: Every step forward deserves recognition, whether it's a mile run or mastering a more challenging series of exercises. Even a crappy day at work can be completely made up for by a well-executed workout or just the fact that you took the stairs to that 8th floor and not the elevator. Be hard on yourself, but don't forget to reward yourself, praise yourself. Not everyone will always be rooting for you and that's why you have to be your own biggest fan.

Why is losing motivation normal?

Loss of motivation is perfectly normal because no one can be constantly enthusiastic and passionate about their goals. Psychologists often say that motivation is like a wave - it's strong for a while, then drops off, especially when you're faced with obstacles or monotony. The key is to build habits that will sustain you during these times.

Professional athletes often maintain discipline by relying on routines and training plans, not moods. Even if you're not in the mood, going back to small steps will help you stay on course, and over time the motivation will return. "

If you want to be the best, you have to do things that others are not willing to do, " said the most successful Olympian of all time - swimmer Michael Phelps, and one cannot disagree with him.

The road to success can be thorny

Remember, the important thing is not to be constantly motivated, but to continue with the system you have set up. Every workout, no matter what you do, is a step forward and helps you build resilience. More resilient athletes, and in fact people in general, are better able to handle other forms of stress, perform their daily duties with perspective, and not sniffle every time they have to do something that they don't feel like doing at the moment.

So don't you fret either, and work hard so that one day we can write about you too :)