So, here are some stats I’m sure won’t shock anybody, but the message that follows may be a little more eye opening, so please sit back, relax and enjoy this good read!
A study published in 2021 International Journal of Environment Research & Public Health reported that 64% of the people who make New Year’s Resolutions or set goals for the “coming year” give up by the end of January!
There’s no shock to this news, right? Hadn’t you heard about it, the fitness gym’s love the first of the year, for it’s the time everybody joins the gym. It’s most packed the first 2 months of the year, then suddenly somehow that strong commitment many people started the year with has waned. Oh, just ask most of the pastor’s, there’s always those people that will “start going back to church” the beginning of the year they just don’t “keep going”.
I know the examples could go on ad nauseam, but the truth is there’s an epidemic of quitters, for there are more people that start and stop than people that start anything and finish. Just as the college admissions department. They have almost as many students drop before graduating than they have register. Why is this?
I would disagree with the statement it doesn’t matter how you start but how you finish. I think the idea to have a “goal” to go back to church, a goal to get healthy by changing diet and exercise should not have to be forced by a diagnosis but instead a strong commitment to win, no matter what. I think people are right to set a goal to go back to church and get their hearts right. But there’s only one problem with it. They don’t truly persist in their commitments. Now we can be consistent for a little while, but who truly persist amidst difficulty.
There were 3 “unknown” people in the bible, they were “would be” disciples of Jesus, and they could have been “Known”.. I mean even though all the 12 apostles didn’t go on to have “great” names like Peter, and John, and Matthew, but Nathaniel, Phillip may not have been known for betraying Jesus as Judas was, but we do know who “Judas” was don’t we, because he committed to something, maybe not the right thing, but he had commitment. What do we want to be known for committing to?
There were these “would be’s” One of them walked up to Jesus and said: “I’ll follow You wherever You go?” when he learned the cost of that, he might not have a place to stay for the night, he walked off.. What of the man who had to sell all he had and go to follow Jesus, well, he didn’t do too good on the “give up my possessions to the poor” test did he! I mean there were people Jesus called and said: “Come on and follow me!” And their response was: “Let me go wait for my dad to die, after I bury him and get my inheritance I’m going to be about Your business, but I mean good, you know my heart!” Listen, the commitment of the 12 got them known, from start to end, none of those left, even when others did. Now can this be said about us? I have no doubt they had to persist through some real stuff, and they did, all except Judas of course who was the ONLY one replaced! All that to say this: Whenever anyone is committed to a point of persistence they’ll always be known for that thing no matter what it is. What will we be known for being “committed” to?
So, this year I was one of those people, I started a gym membership last year, and I determined that no matter what 5 days a week I was hitting the gym. I started with such bold, brass determination, but as soon as my daughter’s school changed her track practice schedule I said, well, if I have to work AND support them, then I guess there’s no use in considering myself right now, that’s the time I normally do my class!
While persisting would be to say, even if I have to pick a later class, get home later and change up my schedule, I’m committed to myself just as much as I am to them!
I will end this segment by telling you something I’ve been doing for years now, I love doing it, but only because I first decided to be determined to make a commitment to it. Reading the bible every day and fasting 21 days without food. I know you probably say: “What? did she just say she goes 21 days without food?” YES, and I do it regularly! But it did NOT start by me just hoping, wishing and praying and it certainly didn’t come about without a lot of effort! I had many fails in the process over the many years I’ve worked up to this point. While I can now say I’ve conquered getting up at 5a in the morning, it doesn’t mean every now and then I don’t have to re-commit, or that the whole process came to me easily! I had to put in the work, and I had to remain committed regardless of how I felt, YES, even if I was sick the night before, or had to stay up extra late for something else. Regardless of what happened, I had to meet the commitment I’d made.
Here’s what got me through, and here’s what I think will help you!
Sit down and think about what all could stop you from going to the gym if that’s your commitment. For instance, say to yourself, “If I’m in the hospital, I won’t go to the gym.” or you can say “If I have a pain in my body that causes me to feel I will push myself too hard I will not make it to the gym that day, but instead will plan to reschedule the next day!”
But, say to yourself, what will NOT stop me from going to the gym is “change of schedule”, it doesn’t matter if my car breaks down, (God forbid) or if my children need me to be at a game with them, I’m still going to go to the gym, even if it means I’m “inconvenienced” to go later.
I strongly believe we commit to things as long as they are “convenient”, but we do want the results regardless of if we’ve truly consistently been committed despite “come ups”.
We will have to plan out and even call into account some people who only have one job, to text or call us and ask if we’d gone, some of us may have to start special classes with coaches that hold us accountable to get us there. For me, signing up for a class does it, I know if I say I’m going to be there, then I’m going to push through whatever I need to to get there. The end of the matter is that we don’t keep our commitments and actually walk that stage with that degree, or lose that weight and keep it off, or complete that fast with the church because we’ve never truly decided to, and we’ve not thought through what obstacles WILL come and determined what will and will not stop us, come what may. I believe for the big bulk of people, they don’t keep words to themselves, and this is the major cause of the lack of success in their lives.
Let’s do better this year. Come what may, we’re keeping the word to do better and reach the goals we set!