The January Sprint Is Almost Over, Or Is It?

Who would have thought that January is almost over? What a month... I'm sure we haven't had 31 days already of 2022. It still feels a little weird typing and saying 2022. I mean what happened to 2021???

January is such a strange month.

It is full of new starts, dreams, aspirations. We all plan to get so much done in each new year but how many of us actually achieve what we set out to do? How many fail by now to keep the drive and enthusiasm we had 30 days ago? I'm not just talking about new years resolutions either. Often we can reflect back to last year and look at the things that we wanted to achieve then, how many fell by the wayside because life just happened.

OK, quick question? How many people do you think vowed to get fit or improve their health each new year?

• In 2019, one survey found that more than half of Americans wanted to be healthier – 59% wanted to exercise more, 54% said they would eat healthier, and 48% resolved to lose weight.

I am sure these figures are pretty accurate globally, year on year.

What are the intentions behind this sudden desire to get fit and healthier? I am not going to speculate on this as the will be a variety of individual reasons, but I am going to add in a reason that you should be doing it. It may not be what you think. The return on the reason may be the biggest motivating factor yet for some, yes even more than a long and healthy life and we want quick returns, right?

What if I said that being fitter and healthy will improve your business? Your career? That the return on investment isn't just health but it's also monetary?

There has been a number of studies done on training as an athlete for business. Not because we want to compete in athletics. Take a look at some of the top athletes in the world today and the factors they have in common.

• They are disciplined.
• They are resilient.
• They are focused.
• They want to be the best they can be.
• They are consistent.
• They strive to train better and more efficiently.

This is a list that could go on and on.

These are results of good diets and exercise on a very simplistic level.

Another simple question. Are these all results that you could take into business? Add in increased energy levels, improved mental and physical well-being and surely we have a blueprint that we can form success on?

We have to remember that this isn't just about a sprint in January. This is about lifelong training. Lifelong improvements. Athletes don't become world-class performers overnight or in the space of one month. It takes years of dedication to their craft. The same as your career or business.

Yet we are often told or even worse sold that 'life-changing, 30 days success' courses or coaching and we believe it, we don't want to wait 3 years or 5 years but often this is how long it will take.

What you can do in that 30 days is to start to form the habits that you will need. You can start to change your mindset is to the one suitable to push you forwards, you can just make a good solid start.

As a development coach, I have been working on my own development for nearly a decade. I know how slow it can be, how much hard work and dedication it takes, but I also know the rewards it can bring as I unlock the next level on a consistent basis. Without that first foundation, the early morning runs in the rain, the lonely nights at the gym, fighting back from the injuries and setbacks, those weeks I felt like I was standing still. I know that life, business and development is a marathon, not a sprint.

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