How New Year's Resolutions Hurt Your Success
Jan 01, 2021 3:02 am
Happy New Year
2020 is almost behind us, but I think you already know that the changing of the calendar won't magically change anything. We are responsible for the changes in our lives. Now is when people start making plans to be different and improve.
But before you start making those New Year's Resolutions, give a listen to my interview on The Sports Project. January 17 is the day most people quit and it is officially "Ditch New Year's Resolution Day"!
So much of whether we stick to our resolutions or not depends on what we say to ourselves. That chatter in our head can be encouraging or (more often) negative and discouraging. My brief video below help you develop self-talk that builds confidence rather than destroys it.
Blessings to you in 2021,
Dr Eddie
Navigating the Pandemic and Holiday Season
In this episode of the Sports Project Radio Show, Steve and I talk about New Year’s resolutions and how long-term goals may not be helpful or realistic. Yes, have a mission and purpose, but at the same time do not lock in and limit your ability to adapt or adjust to new opportunities and adversity. The challenge is giving up the illusion of control and responding to the realistic experiences of today.
Steve and Dr. Eddie go so far as to suggest that “everyone should experience losing a job” to propel you forward – if you allow yourself to be open to the pain in service of the good that can come from it. Listen to the whole interview for the details on exactly how to do it.
One of the recommendations is to practice “patience and persistence” because you have to keep moving forward to make progress, it doesn’t matter how fast or slow. And if you have lost much, know that you get to build your life according to who you are and what you want today. Maybe the life you had was based on goals and dreams of decades ago? Might this be an opportunity to re-evaluate and set off on a new, more rewarding path?
Listen through the end for exciting details about how the Success Stories membership is being upgraded for launch in February 2021. Click here to get on the waitlist now.
Confidence Building Self-Talk
Obstacle:
Automatic thoughts come in and destroy your confidence. Your self-talk becomes negative and repetitive. This leads to mistakes and poor play.
How to Overcome:
Accept that you cannot stop these automatic thoughts BUT you can choose your response to them. Be responsible and intentional about what you say to yourself in a way that is action focused, more encouraging and self-compassionate. This is a skill that you can practice to have a mind that builds your confidence and improves your performance rather than hurt it.
Action Steps:
- Identify one negative thought that hurts confidence
- Replace it with a more truthful realistic thought that builds confidence or tells you what do to succeed
- ** Intentionally correct this thought EVERY time it comes up to retrain your brain.
Check out “The Psychology of Performance: How to Be Your Best in Life” for the 10th lesson, “Confidence and Self-Talk” and 23 other sport psychology topics that will enhance your performance!
Resources For You
I'm here to help you overcome your obstacles to excellence:
🥇 Individual consulting at https://dreddieoconnor.com/telehealth-services/
🥈 Success Stories Membership at https://dreddieoconnor.com/membership/
🥉 Mental Toughness in 60 Seconds (YouTube Video Series)
Dr. Eddie O’Connor
