…and routines are underrated.

Everyone has an opinion when it comes to New Year’s Resolutions. Some love them and others loathe them. We love them when we see results and loathe them when we repeat our resolutions year in and year out without any fruit.

I don’t choose New Year’s Resolutions anymore. I set New Year’s Routines. Here’s why?

Resolution without routine is like a Ferrari without fuel. It might look real good but it will get you nowhere.

The secret to results is not found in setting resolutions as much as the routines behind the resolutions.

As you set your resolutions, filter them through the routines necessary to turn your resolutions into results.

1. Make the Routine the Reward. It’s so easy to fall in love with the result of your resolution and hate the routine. We often make the resolution the reward not its associated routine. Find out the routines that best turn your resolution into results and focus on them. For example, be more concerned about the amount of times you will go to the gym then the amount of weight you want to lose. There is no weight lose unless you are in the gym. So set the amount of times you will go and be there no matter what.

2. Find People Who Have Mastered Your Routines. Spend time with people who have achieved the results from the routines your resolutions demand. Learn from them first hand. Find someone in the gym with your desired results and connect your resolution to their routine. Sacrifice to be around people who have mastered the routines you desire. Remember, people who are achieving results in life often are busy. Most likely they won’t make the amount of time needed to turn a resolution into a routine so you need to make time to be around them. I have driven two hours each way to meet with a mentor in the past on a monthly basis to understand the routines of writing a book.

3. Mentor People Too Develop Your Routines. If you help people get into your routines, your routines will stay in you. As you may know, the best way to learn is to teach. Showing others to love your routines builds in accountability to your results. Give back what was given to you and you will keep what you have.

Routines make a resolution become a result. So do not underestimate the power of focusing on the routine more than the resolution.