I hate the idea of new years resolutions. It always seems to hit me that people set themselves up for failure with them and then when they fall off the horse, that is it. In an article published in Forbes magazine 2 years ago it appears that only 8% of people accomplish what they resolve to do.
All that being said, here I am, at the beginning of another year telling myself that there are some things I want to get done this year. Things like eating healthier, getting more consistent exercise, and sticking to my training so I can accomplish my bigger life and sword goals. But if the odds are against me, why do it?
2014 was a year a lot changed for me. I attended my first larger HEMA community event. I started Olympic Fencing, I realized that I can accomplish a lot if I move from the reasons I can't and begin working my to a place where I am looking for the ways to get where I want to be. I cannot say for certain how many times I started diet and exercise only to fall off and begin again weeks or months later, but i know it happened a lot.
So what is different this time? Why will this be the year it changes? I cannot say that it will be for certain but if I stick with it, the reason it will is the way in which I am setting goals. What does 2015 mean to me? What am I working to accomplish? Why is it more likely it will stick this time?
I have heard a lot of people set things up to fail. "I want to loose 50 pounds this year" or something like that. I am not happy with my weight. For those who have not met me I am in the words of my boss "A big dude". It always have been, but I also know from my past that it is not all fat that makes me that way so there is that. So where do I go? This year is all about performance. If I dropped 100 pounds (around my goal) but was not stronger or faster, if I could not perform better than I can in the sword practices I do, would it be worth it? On the other hand, if I trained hard and could build things up to the point that I only dropped 25 or 40 pounds but could run longer, or lift more weight, or could move faster in the ring or on the line would that be worth it? To me if that is not the goal I am not sure what is.
I also want to get in better shape for my family. I would like to one day have children I could at least in part keep up with. I do not want to be the dad whose kids run off and he can't remotely keep up. I know it is a long shot to say beat a child at a foot race or have the energy and vitality of a young kid, but my goal is to be further when that is a real possibility than not. Why? Because to me it matters. Being there long term is important and the best way to do that is to work to be healthier now. I want to be able to pick up a sword and teach at 90 years old, and still be able to beat my students. Not just watch from the sidelines as they get walloped by other people.
Maybe resolutions is not the right word for where I want to be in 2015, maybe goals is. At the end of the day it does not matter if I am 320 pounds or 220 pounds if I can keep up and do better in the next year than I am doing now. At the end of the day, if I can run 5 miles or do 100 push ups without problems does it matter what my pant size is? If I can pick up a sword and keep up or beat my instructor stride for stride, does it matter how much weight I have lost? To me the answer is no. Of course I have to keep my blood sugar in check, of course I want my cholesterol in a healthy range and a million other things that come with being a "Big dude" but at the end of the day I am doing all of it and have not lost all the weight, does it matter? No, and that to me is the place to start.
Happy New Year from Jordan the Swordsman.
