It’s the time of year again when we start to think about the things we want to accomplish in the coming year. It’s an opportunity to write the next chapter of our lives and make progress toward achieving our life’s potential. Many of us approach a new year by making resolutions that we rarely achieve. Whether it is to lose weight or improve fitness or improve relationships, somehow we mostly seem to revert back to our natural, often self-limiting, behaviors that make the next chapter read very much like the previous one.

Solution Options: We know what we need and what’s good for us. Almost everyone, it seems, wants to lose weight, get more physical exercise, or eat healthier. Some of us are trying to kick bad habits, such as smoking or drinking alcohol, gambling, or persistent tardiness. In some cases, these are not merely nice-to-have objectives; they can be a matter of life and death when suffering from chronic health issues. Whatever the reason, we rightfully want more from our lives. But wanting is not nearly sufficient.

We try many things like making new year’s resolutions, buying exercise equipment, or a subscription to a diet. Unfortunately, the novelty of most of these approaches soon wears off. Even getting a fitness tracker that rewards you for achieving 10,000 steps gets tiresome after a while.

We are social animals. That means we thrive when we are engaged in relationships with other people. That’s why we have large families, go to parties, and play games/sports with others. Even solo exercise is more enjoyable in the company of others in a gym, and a coach helps to make you feel alive by stretching you beyond your comfort level.