The most common excuse we hear is “I don’t have enough time”. There are 24 hours in a day. Although we cannot change the amount of time we have, we do choose our priorities and how we use those 24 hours to effectively address all of them. If we are saying that we don’t have time to do something, we are really saying that it is not a priority for us, and/or we didn’t properly prepare to accomplish it. Therefore, complaining that we don’t have time to do something is just an excuse. When we admit this to ourselves and to our teammates, we take ownership of it.
IF WE OWN AN ISSUE, WE HAVE INFLUENCE OVER IT. INFLUENCE GIVES US CONTROL AND CONTROL ALLOWS US TO ADDRESS AND FIX IT.
At EMA we appreciate how busy our members are. We also appreciate that we all have many different priorities based on a host of factors. However, if you were to go the gym at 4:30am., for example, you would be surprised by how many people are already there working out. They are Dads, single Moms, athletes, students, old folks and people just like you and me. They make the time to do so because it is a priority for them.
WEEKLY CHALLENGE
Make a plan. Set your alarm for just 10 minutes earlier this week. In those 10 minutes spend it journaling. Instead of
writing thoughts and feelings (which is perfectly fine if you want to all do that), make your “to-do” list. Write down what
you want to accomplish today. Once it’s all written out prioritize the list. There are the must do’s, the should do’s and the nice-todo’s. Your “must-do’s might be to exercise, eat three healthy meals, and study/read for 30 minutes. Your should-do’s might be to go for a walk and call your friend. Your nice-to- do’s might be to take a long bath or watch two episodes of your favourite show.
If excuses are an admission that something was not a priority and/or that we failed to prepare properly to address it, it stands to reason that some prior planning could alleviate the need for excuses. We typically hear countless excuses around mid-February.
All gyms are packed on January 1st. By mid-February, the vast majority of those new members will be gone, and you can once again have your pick of open stairclimbers and squat racks. Why? Most people who set goals or resolutions fail to see them through. Most people who wake up on January 1st, resolved to lose weight or save money, will not succeed. Most people will make a resolution to get in shape, but they fail to make a plan. They do not prepare, so when mid-February rolls around and they haven’t made any progress, they make excuses instead. Preparation can look like hiring a trainer, going to a group class or working out with a friend. Someone is farm more likely to see results come February and then continue to stick with it if they have a plan.
WEEKLY CHALLENGE
Make a plan for 2024. Come up with goals for 2021. They should encompass your entire life. Do not just write down the goals. Spend all of January formulating how you are going to reach that goal. Writing down “lose 20 lbs” is utterly useless! How are you going to do it? What time frame? How will you measure it? What does success look like? What happens when you hit plateaus? Saying “get my black belt” is just as fruitless. How many days a week will you train? When will you review colour belt curriculum, what do you need the most work on? Make personal goals, fitness, goals, financial goals, friendship goals, education/career goals, martial arts goals. This plan should be at least a few pages long.
Coaches and business leaders around the world speak about the importance of MOTIVATION. Frankly, in EMA we are not that concerned about our members MOTIVATION. We take it as a given that the people we work with are already motivated. MOTIVATION is merely wanting to succeed. Therefore, instead of MOTIVATION, focus on VOLITION.
WHAT IS VOLITION?
Defined, it is the power of using one’s will. But really, VOLITION IS MOTIVATION IN MOTION. Volition is putting your motivation into action. It’s great to be motivated to accomplish something, but that is not enough. As Nike says, Just Do It.
WEEKLY CHALLENGE
Make a plan for 2024! Continue with your 2024 Goal Planning. Fill in more details of the plan. Remember the acronym for making goals. They must be:
SMART GOALS – SPECIFIC, MEASURABLE, ATTAINABLE, REALISTIC, TIMELY
One of the most damaging attitudes anyone can have is a sense of entitlement. When people begin to feel they are owed something, their desire and ability to compete and attack dulls. In EMA we differentiate between “DESERVE” and “EARN”. These terms are often used interchangeably, but they have very different meanings.
DESERVE is used when a person should rightly receive something good or bad because of his or her actions or character.
EARN is used when a person has spent time and effort to get what they deserve.
In a perfect world we would get everything we deserved. But we know that isn’t how the world works. If you have an exam in two weeks and you spend just 20 minutes a day studying and preparing for it, you will most likely do very well on that exam. You will have earned a good mark because your properly prepared.
Weekly Challenge (VISION BOARD)
Turn your 2024 Goal Planning into a more polished document or poster – like a VISION BOARD.
Type it out or make a poster out of it. Put it in a prominent place where you will look at it once a week. You want it to be a constant reminder to stay on track
