Motivology Matters

For many, this is the first day back to work after the New Year’s holiday. For many, it is also the first day that they will meet true temptation to break those resolutions they set only two days before. Following the New Year’s tradition many people make resolutions or promises to themselves of things they will and will not do in the New Year. Lose Weight, Quit Smoking, Exercise more, or any number of other things that they believe will improve their lives.

I believe there is only one true resolution, Be Better. Doesn’t every other resolution boil down to this simple phrase? We all want to just Be Better. We want to be Healthy, be a better employee, be a better parent, be a better spouse, we just want to be a better version of ourselves. I know there are other resolutions that people make that may not look like they fall into this self improvement thinking, but honestly, if you really look at them, all of them are designed to enrich your life, to make your life better.

If all of the resolutions that people are making boil down to just Be Better, wouldn’t it be easier if that was everyone’s resolution? If you resolve to Be Better, you are much further ahead.

First, you don’t have to remember all of the resolutions; you just have to remember “Be Better”.  Some people may only make one or two resolutions, but I have known individuals who make long laundry lists of things they want to do or improve. By simply remembering you want to Be Better you have it all covered. When you start to do something, just ask yourself, “Does this help me Be Better?”.

Second, you can’t negotiate. Have you ever negotiated yourself out of a resolution? This is where you manage to convince yourself that what you resolved to do isn’t what you meant, or that this really wasn’t breaking the resolution. You convince yourself that this one last smoke, an extra donut, or only 15 minutes exercising, isn’t going to break your promise. Pretty soon you are on a slippery slope, can’t get back up, and just forget about the resolution. If you just want to Be Better it is hard to negotiate your way out of it. When you go to do something just ask yourself, “Does this help me Be Better?”.

Third, you can keep working on it no matter what. If you have resolved to do something more or do something less, once you have done it, or not done it, you just give up. You haven’t done it. You have failed. Might as well just move on and go back to the way things were. If, however, your resolution is to Be Better, you can always keep working on it. When you go to do something just ask yourself, “Does this help me Be Better?”.

Finally, you have expanded beyond a single simple improvement. If you stay focused on trying to Be Better, you can make improvements in every facet of your life. Focus on where you are putting your time and energy. Look at all of your actions. If when you go to do something just ask yourself, “Does this help me Be Better?”, you will see the improvement come in everything you do.

It isn’t too late to change your resolution. It isn’t too late to Be Better!<-->