Want to lose weight, want to save money, want to be a better person, want to get a promotion, want to quite smoking, want to get out of debt, want to enjoy life more? All of these are great goals and are considered some of the top New Year's resolutions each year. Commitments, planning and goals are good. What we need a little bit more of, however, are momentary or daily wins in these areas. Chip Kelly, the football coach at the University of Oregon (aka University of Nike), has a slogan whereby he constantly reminds his team to "Win the Day". He talks about doing the little things throughout each day that leads to victory...victory for that day, which leads to victory for the week, which leads to victory for the month, and so on. Worry about the stuff that you can control. Worry about the immediate stuff. For the Oregon Ducks, trying to win the upcoming Rose Bowl started a long time ago. Every major victory has countless minor victories along the way that made it possible. You want to quit smoking, then stop smoking for this hour...this afternoon...this day. You want to get out of debt, then don't stop at the mall today. Yes, you need to pay down the credit card debt but you need to win a little battle first. You want to lose 20 pounds, then bypass your normal after dinner piece of pie today. Then when tomorrow comes, do it again. Tackle your goals or your New Year's resolutions in smaller increments. Win the little battles and you'll eventually win the war. Win enough days and you'll eventually be a winner.
Nice post. So true that people start and soon give up. I wrote a blog about starting your New Year's resolution when you think of what you need to do. If you want to change, start immediately; you don't need a date or a tradition to start it with.
ReplyDeleteHope you are doing well Coach!