Resolutions For The Year: Why Do Some Make It?

Playing sports is one of the resolutions for the new year that almost all of us intend to make. It is therefore not surprising that during the first weeks of 2020 the gyms were crowded and if the streets were filled with cyclists and runners.

This desire with which we all tend to start the new year is the result of a motivation that fades with the passage of time. But what prompts some people to go through with the New Year’s proposition coupons, and what is missing in other cases?

In his book Human motivation , David McClelland (professor of psychology at Harvard University) states that the motivation behind a purpose to fulfill comes from an initial desire, the emotion of acquiring a new skill and the pleasant feeling of improving oneself. But why is it difficult for people to make their New Year’s resolutions without discipline?

Discipline is needed to accomplish purposes

We must keep in mind that when the year begins we have just returned from vacation. We feel rested, we are full of desire to do new things and with that new year feeling that is sent to make changes.

But then, the commitments, the changes that do not occur, the tiredness of work, the responsibilities… All this begins to be noticed starting from the second month.

Just then we forget to play sports, we make excuses (it’s raining, it’s cold, I don’t feel well) and, little by little, that initial motivation vanishes. To all this we must add that in a month, and without having made changes to the diet, no changes will be visible in our body, which is frustrating and pushes to throw in the towel without hesitation. This could be avoided with discipline.

Discipline is a set of norms and rules that we respect because they make us feel better or because we have to. For example, every day, as soon as we wake up, we brush our teeth, even if we don’t feel like it. This is discipline and can also be applied to sport. How? Starting to gradually introduce it into our lives.

How to keep motivated?

Some people are able to carry out their New Year’s resolutions because they keep motivation high. In order not to lose sight of our goals, and if we want to continue playing sports, it is good to keep some tips in mind. 

• Choose an activity that interests us: it doesn’t have to be running; we can opt for yoga, spinning or for an evening walk after work. It will be impossible to feel motivated and disciplined if we don’t like or care about an activity. The range of options to choose from is wide!

• Start a little at a time : a habit is not built overnight. Indeed, it is important to introduce some changes; for example, go to the gym twice a week, then add an extra day after a month and proceed gradually. This way it will become a habit in our life.

• Knowing People Who Like Sports: By signing up for lessons taught by instructors or going for a run every day in the same area, we will end up meeting other people who play sports. Maybe we could end up training in company or making friends.

All of these tips will help us practice the discipline that will ultimately help us make our New Year’s resolutions. Over time, we will also begin to notice changes. We will notice that we have lost weight, we will feel more agile, we will see that the abs are defined. This will inspire us to keep working and improving.

Discipline: The Secret to Making New Year’s Resolutions

Although motivation allows us to make decisions and to start introducing sport into our lives, only discipline will push us to go to the bottom. We will not always feel motivated, sometimes the weather will not be the best …

But how many times have we overcome laziness and, after playing sports, have we felt really good? Let’s not let this year be another failed attempt to start including sport in our habits. 

We choose well, we start slowly and be patient. With discipline, we will finally find out why some people stick to their New Year’s resolutions and why we weren’t able to do so before.