My Favorite New Year's Resolution (A New Twist on My Favorite Concept)

It is that time of year when people start contemplating the changes or resolutions that they want to make in their lives.  Inevitably, some iteration of "getting in shape" falls at the top of the list for most people.  I am going to side step this cliché for a moment.  I'm convinced that the most compelling New Year's Resolution, a resolution that is relevant to nearly everyone, goes something like this: Work on Yourself.  You can call this Improve Yourself or my personal favorite, Sharpen the Saw.  Whatever the vernacular, the message is the same.  Before we can become more effective and contribute more meaningfully in our relationships, in the organizations we work in, in our families, in our communities, and in the other roles we play, we must first take care of and in fact, improve ourselves.  Speaking of the habit of "Sharpening the Saw," Dr. Stephen Covey states, "This is the single most powerful investment we can ever make in life - Investment in ourselves, in the only instrument we have with which to deal with life and contribute.  We are the instruments of our own performance, and to be effective, we need to recognize the importance of taking time regularly to sharpen the saw."

1. Link the results/outcomes you desire to the type of exercise that stimulates those results.  Stated otherwise, don't expect Yoga to help you lose weight or running to help you increase muscle.  Surprisingly, the vast majority of exercisers are performing exercise that does not stimulate the physiological changes they desire.
2. Work with a higher level of intensity... For a shorter period of time.
3. Focus on the process, the form, and the technique rather than the outcome.  Stated otherwise, don't focus on how many you did.  Focus on how you do them.
4. Strength train slowly.  Avoid any form of strength exercise that involves fast or sudden movement.  This fast movement unloads your muscles resulting in reduced muscle fiber recruitment.  If you are already moving slowly while strength training, focus on moving even slower with particular attention paid to the transition from positive to negative.
5. Consume a post-exercise snack containing 20 grams of protein after every strength workout.