I am doing a 100% cut and paste job today from my TPS January newsletter. I am giving you the beginning of a series on How to Kick 2025’s Ass. Here’s a hint: It’s not New Year’s Resolutions. Resolutions don’t work. They suck. So much so that the second Friday of January is known as "Quitters Day," the day people are most likely to forfeit New Year's resolutions according to the Google machine.
Resolutions have a very long history of not working. Why? One big reason according the behavioral experts is that resolutions are based on the perception of others. And, they are typically too broad or ambitious. Another reason is the typically focus on the negative instead of a positive.
A quick search reveals that only about 10% of New Years' resolutions are successful. That’s a 90% fail rate!
Today I am going to give you a strategy to change your behavior by creating new habits. Behavior changes that create new (good) habits work. So without any more bloviating on my part, read the strategy on How to Kick 2025’s Ass below. This applies everywhere in life, not just the gym.
“In the headline I said I was going to show you how to kick 2025’s ass. I’m going to and it’s not with any New Year, New You bullshit.
A study in 2001 done in Great Britain on how to build better exercise habits in two weeks showed us a one simple thing that will help all of us build better habits. When we make thing we do a habit, they just get done.
Do you have god habits, or bad habits?
Let’s change good habits to productive habits for the sake of our kicking 2025’s ass plan.
Without giving you all of the details of the study or all of the options used, I’m narrowing it down to the ONE THING that worked.
The group that had ass kicking success was that one that formulated a plan for when, where, how long and how they would exercise.
They were told to physically write down During the next week , I will partake in at least 20 minutes of vigorous exercise on <this day> at <this time> in <the place they would exercise, EG: TPS Gym>.
91% of the group that did this exercised at least once per week.
They used what is called an Implementation Intention.
Implementation Intentions are outstanding tools to build habits. And these habits do not need to be fitness related. Although, I’d love if you made some fitness related ones and listed TPS as the <place you will exercise>.
Some of you might be saying this horseshit doesn’t work, but I sure you it does. Especially if you do it for a few weeks. It becomes habit.
Some Implementation Intentions that you already do that WORK are things like adding a Doctor’s appointment to your calendar, or a note to pick up the kids from baseball. When we expand these to other areas, success happens.
If you use an Implementation Intention that is vague, like typing “eat better” or “exercise more” you will most likely have ZERO success.
However, if you write, by hand (and then add to your digital calendar) an Implementation Intention such as:
I will join the TPS Method Program on January 3, 2025 and consistently attend the program on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 am.
Or
I will go to TPS and Push the Prowler for 25 minutes keeping my heart rate in Zone 2 every Tuesday and Thursday at 2:30 pm.
Or
I will read 10 pages of a book (a paper book!) every night 20 minutes before I go to bed.
Your intentions need to be clear. And you do not have to wait to do them. Start now.
Your formula for How to Kick 2025’s Ass is:
I will (behavior) at (time) in (location).
This is the formula I stole from Atomic Habits by James Clear. The book was suggested to me by one of our clients who thought I would like it. I can tell you, she was wrong. I love it.
Many of you don’t read books or don’t read this type of book. That’s fine. I’ll read them for you and filter the gold to you.
Implementation Intentions are the first step in kicking any tasks ass. There are many more techniques, but this is the jumping off point.
When do you jump off?
NOW!
But, research shows that the first day of the week, month or year is when motivation is highest.
I’ve always told people not to wait. If you are thinking of doing something positive, do it.
Start now.
Pick one or two things that you can do that are attainable.
This is my first step of goal setting that I have written about countless times.
I’m adapting to kicking 2025’s ass this year. We are not goal setting now. We are changing behavior.
Changing behavior makes attainting goals much easier.
Once we get to the point where the things we must do for success at whatever we want to be successful at as habits, we become successful.
Let’s be sure and make the tasks that we add to ourselves attainable, simple (not easy) and repeatable.
Do I have to explain that?
If do, reply back to this email and I ‘ll explain.
Do you want to learn more about kicking 2025’s ass and changing your habits?
Again, reply back.
Now go get a pen and paper. Write out your Implementation Intentions for the next 2 weeks and do them. Before you start, share them with someone. Research shows that when you share goals and intentions with someone, you are more likely to stick to them.
Feel free to email me them. I’m happy to help.
Get after it.
I wish you a safe and happy New Year.”
If you like this log and want more info on how to kick 2025’s ass, leave a comment.
Did you miss last week’s log?
Read it here.
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Vincere vel mori
C.J. Murphy
January 2, 2025
