The New Year
Welcoming in a new year always comes with the idea that you can change your life for better. Or that you can magically attain what you couldn’t in previous years by setting new goals. Taking on a new direction.
The Bullshit…
For most, achieving these goals just isn’t going to happen. The stress of big changes and adopting too many new habits pushes us to places we aren’t comfortable in and can often be crippling. Not saying it can’t be done, some people thrive in uncomfortable spaces. But for most, It comes down to your stress tolerance, your environment, the connection you have to these new goals and what you value.
Too many goals makes it difficult to succeed in any one particular category.
The analogy of ‘biting off more than you can chew’ is often appropriate for most. This means most people set 5 to 10 goals spread across various personal or professional categories for the year. Financial goals, personal development goals, career moves… Whilst these things are all good in theory, life is about balance. I’m not talking about a balanced scale of 50/50. It’s about tipping the scales to what you want to achieve or able to achieve.
My advice here is to connect with one or two things you really feel passionate about achieving this year. Ask yourself if these goals are realistic in your time frame. Then ask yourself what amount of balance are you willing to give up to achieve this goal.
For example – if your goal this year is to run a half marathon. What are you prepared to sacrifice in order to achieve this goal? If you aren’t an early riser but that’s the only time you have to run the miles required to train for a half marathon, the goal should also be to improve your sleep habits. Dedicate yourself to preparing the run the night before. Get to bed early so you have the energy to get up, put on your shoes and get out the door. It simple enough but the smallest changes often make the biggest impacts on our lives. The half marathon training will come as a result of altering a very important habit, sleep…
New Me…
I have always been a night owl. Always. This example of changing my sleep habits is especially impactful for me if I want to start a new hobby. I want to learn how to surf. Surfing ticks a lot of boxes for me including mental and physical health. To have success in this goal, its crucial for me to change my sleeping habits.
My aim is to become an early riser! Surfing will come as a result of being up and energized. But most importantly, I’ll be connected to doing something for myself in the mornings. It’s not going to be easy… but worthwhile things rarely are!
Find something to connect with, tip the scales, enjoy the worthwhile changes. Have success with your New Year’s resolution!
Nic Catterall
High Performance Coach
About Nic Catterall/Peak Power Golf
Nic Catterall is an Australian high-performance coach, specializing in strength and conditioning, musculoskeletal therapy and sports science, for professional golfers on the PGA Tour in the U.S.A. Nic works with Cam Smith, Luke List, Matt Jones, Dylan Frittelli and Hank Lebioda. Nic created the Peak Power Golf company to educate about the athleticism of golfers and what they are capable of. Peak Power Golf provides online training, athlete mentoring and athlete assessments.
Leave a Reply