A new year approaches...

A new year approaches, and yeah we've heard it all before. You've heard yourself talk about your goals for the new year whether it be financial, physical, or family related. I say forget about all that. Forget about setting new goals because I've got a little trick I'd like to relate to you. Set one goal. Make your goal to be resolute. If you find that you never keep your New Year's Resolutions, there's probably a reason for it. You are not a person of steely resolve, so why would making promises to yourself on a certain calendar date make them any more likely to be adhered to? Resolve to be that person who others look up to, and who finishes what he or she sets about to do.
When I was in the Marines I wasn't always a good runner. Some of you know my history, and that I used to always be the smallest, the slowest, and the weakest. When I hit my first unit and found I just had no ability to run, having very limited training knowledge I decided to do what seemed like the obvious (but now I know to be the wrong) answer. Run myself into the ground every waking minute until I had built up endurance. I would log up to forty miles a week of running. Much of it in boots, which explains the shin splints that plagued me for five years. Sure enough, I became faster and one of the best runners. Then I was promoted to corporal, an NCO rank, and suddenly I could run just about anybody in the unit into the ground. Why? It was because I am a believer in leading by example, and leading by example does mean that you must lead from the front. This is why I don't buy into fat trainers and all this non-sense about "I don't need to be in good shape to get you in good shape." When you are a person who believes in leading by example, it means you are also a person of great character. In my case I am a character, but you get the idea. The same character that forges great infantry NCO's also forges great fathers and mother, leaders of other types, and yes, even trainers. We lead our clients, children, soldiers and marines, friends and even enemies by example. This kind of character and integrity requires resolve, the resolve to do what is right regardless of the consequences, discomfort to yourself, or unpopularity of said actions.
So this year don't spend a lot of time making resolutions you know you won't keep. resolve yourself to lead by example and be the citizen others seek to emulate, and the rest will fall into place.

Oh, and watch this cool video too. I know I've put it up before, but it embraces everything I like about training.