Throw Away Those
New Year Resolutions..
They Don't Work

Have you ever wondered why people abandon their New Year resolutions within the first three months of the year? It’s because they don’t work. Let me explain.

If you have read No Condition is Permanent, you know how I feel about excuses. But in this case, I think we are dealing with some legitimate ones. I want to offer some compassion to those who can’t keep their New Year resolutions. It’s not their fault. And here’s what I mean.

Have you ever heard that our subconscious mind is stupid? Yes, it only obeys the commands it receives. Good or bad. It doesn’t know the difference between something that is real or imagined. For example, I was once driving in the car with a friend and asked him if he was afraid of snakes. Before even answering me, he started freaking out thinking I had a pet snake in my car. My friend was immediately reacting to false assumptions. That’s my point. This is why.

In my opinion, we can’t keep New Year resolutions. Our subconscious minds are falsely conditioned to think that a New Year resolution is a joke. Why? Because we routinely make them and brake them. My advice to you is to never make New Year resolutions, particularly toward the end of the year.

Here are 4 strategies you can use instead:

1) Make a commitment, not a resolution. The subconscious mind is too familiar with the word resolution. You see, very few people make commitments. All the talk about doing this or that is nothing but an interest.

A resolution is usually an interest though it could be a strong one. But what you need is a commitment—a different trigger word for the subconscious mind. And you also need a different time frame. Do not routinely set your resolutions at the end of the year when everyone else is setting them.

2) Fuel your commitment with emotion. You’ve got to feel something inside of you that drives you to take daily action. Why do you want it so badly? Twenty years ago, I dangerously wedged myself between the rear tires of a tractor-trailer in Montreal, Canada, as a way of entering this country.

That trip was a very risky commitment. But it was also an emotionally intense one. Deep inside of me I felt that I had to do it. I was fed up. I wanted to lend a hand to my poverty-stricken village in Haiti. That was my big why. Emotion became my driving force. It must be yours, too.

3) Once you think it, ink it. Once you put it on paper, the subconscious mind receives two commands. The first one is verbal and the second is written. Write it in big letters on a piece of paper and stick it on your refrigerator or your bathroom mirror. Either place will ensure you to view it daily. This will keep you accountable to yourself.

4) Give it time. The process is precious. If you want to lose 20 pounds, don’t try going to the gym and killing yourself in the first three months. Take it easy. And be consistent. It will happen. Or you will frustrate yourself and give up. And the same advice is good whether you want to start your own business, or to double your sales for the year. The key is to be consistent.

I have three words for you: SUCCESS TAKES TIME! I know because I’ve been there. I was a poor and illegal immigrant unable to speak English. Then I was a doorman for years carrying the bags of big-time speakers. I told all of them that one day I, too, would be a motivational speaker. Today, I am living that dream. SUCCESS TAKES TIME! Be patient!

So my friend, be very clear as to why you’ve got to have what you are seeking. Or you may not really want it after you have it. And be sure to set realistic goals. Be patient. Forget about New Year resolutions. Set emotionally charged goals anytime during the year, and "Go for it!"

Happy New Year!