Did you give up on the gym after a few visits? It’s so busy in there. It’s going to take so much hard work and so much starvation to shed a few pounds, let alone get a six-pack 

Missing those tasty IPAs and pizza? Maybe tonight you and your special one just order some in and Netflix and chill? 

Just be ready for a wait on the pizza. The second Friday of January is apparently National Quitters Day. Great news for regular gym goers and pizza shop owners. 

That’s the easy explanation.

I know there’s been a backlash on NY’s resolutions and setting yearly goals in recent years.  Obviously if so many fail is it even worth trying?  Why wait up to a year for an arbitrary day to happen to try to improve yourself? Totally agree with that last argument.  The right time to start is now. Today is the day. 

This year I realized there might be something else going on. 

Many of us are fortunate to get a little downtime over the holidays.  We start reflecting on last year, what was great, and what could be better. We get optimistic about all the things we could start doing to make things even better. Get in shape, get smarter, earn more, save more, build relationships, maybe even travel…

First week back isn’t so bad. Maybe you get enough sleep and don’t need to hit the coffee. You’ve got time to get to the gym, try a little meditation, take a bath before bed, read a book. Hang out with your kids. Date night. No alcohol so you’re sleeping well. Hey, this is pretty sweet. 

Then the second week hits you. The work pressures start to mount. Bunch of unexpected responsibilities come up with the kids. Have to miss the gym a couple of times to not miss that work deliverable. An early morning meeting knocks you off the sleep goal and you’re back on the coffee. 

Friday rolls around and you’re frustrated. There just doesn’t seem to be enough time to do all this new stuff. Why does life have to be so hard? I deserve a night off. Pizza and beers ensue. More lost hopes and dreams added to the lifetime’s pile.

Here’s my advice. Enjoy the pizza and beer. Especially enjoy the Netflix and chill. 

Then find time tomorrow for a little exercise. And forgive yourself for having a life and other commitments. Be thankful for your optimism and desire for self-improvement.

Then choose just one of those optimistic goals. Schedule time to do 10 minutes of that. Far better to make one little improvement than none at all. 

If you conquer that little mountain then maybe you can add in a second. 

Let me know if any of this resonated with you. 

I’ll raise a silent toast to you all tonight. Cheers!

Rich