Taking The Cold Water Success Plunge

There is an interesting phenomenon that happens this time of year with all of the New Year’s resolutions everyone makes.  People get this feeling of the possibility of a Fresh New Start!

Which in my opinion is a GREAT thing.

Changing your life for the positive is obviously something we should all strive to do.

But as we all know what happens is that barely anyone sticks to the changes they promised themselves and everyone else they were going to make.  I believe the statistics are something like 90 percent of the people who make New Year’s resolutions have already fallen off the ol’band wagon within the first week and out of the remaining 10%, 80 % of them have given up within 6 weeks!

Staggering numbers, but really not surprising.

In my opinion there are a host of reasons why most people fail at sticking to their resolutions and creating the lifestyle they deep down really do desire.

However one of the biggest reasons for this failure is something I call “Taking The Cold Plunge”!

Anyone who has every gone for a early morning swim will be able to related to the following analogy.

I have noticed that there are 2 types of people when it comes to “Getting Into The Water”!

There are the “All or Nothing, I am taking the plunge and jumping right in Group”…. And then there are the tip toe one inch at a time group of people.

The people who jump right in, have the attitude they are going for it, all or nothing, if I am getting in this water I am getting in now, no playing around, go go go.

They have the same mentality as the people who on New Years, are going to change it ALL and change it now.  No more bad habits, up at 6 am, heading out jogging for an hour a day and eating only veggies…  Cold Turkey type folks!

Well what I have observed from the people who “Jump Right” into that cold water is they are also the very first to come flying back out to dry land.  “IN & Out”…  gasping for breath!

They had great intentions, but they simply could not handle the shock of the change in temperature…

Where as….

The person who tip toes into the water, one inch at a time…  allowing their body to get use to the change of temperature as they go… almost always seem to stay in the water much longer!

Same goes for making changes in your life…

The everything gets changed right now attitude NEVER seems to work…  it is simply too much change to fast for people.

However…  what does work…  is if you start to make gradual changes on a daily bases….  changes that are in a positive direction, but also ones that you can maintain….  and then simply start to make more changes as you go…

For example, if you are a big coffee drinker, someone who drinks 5 – 10 cups a day….  instead of giving it up altogether…  start cutting back, by 1 cup every day or two.

If you want to get in shape, instead of telling yourself you are going to run 10 miles a day starting right now…  go slower…  start out by walking a mile, get in the habit of getting out there, then jog half that mile and walk the rest…  then start jogging that mile….  then add another mile in a week or two….  gradually get yourself use to the change!

Need to start investing?  Want to start investing that 10% of your income we all know we should be putting aside, but don’t think you can afford it?  Start by putting 1% aside, you will quickly see how you do not miss that little amount…  next pay check add another 1% to it, for a total of 2% and so on and so forth.

Example:…  you earn $3000 a month….  10% of it or $300 is what you need to invest monthly, but you tell yourself there is no way you can do that… start out investing the 1% or $30…  you will be shocked how you do not miss that $30…  next month put away the 2% or $60… etc etc!

As you tip toe into the water of reaching your goals, you will be shocked at how easy it is for you to reach them AND more importantly stick to them!!

To YOUR Success
Robb Corbett