Now more than a week into 2021—the year that promises to be better than 2020—how are we doing on our New Year Resolutions? Ideally, we focused on setting goals for ourselves and not just making a list of “wishes.” Moreover, hopefully, we challenged ourselves beyond our comfort zone. Hopefully, we have set new goalposts for ourselves. After all, what is the point of losing the weight we gained during COVID-19 if we are just going to gain it back and recycle it as a goal in 2022?
Kaizen is the Japanese term for “continuous improvement” or “change for the better.” I would (and do) equate it to “be your best today; be better tomorrow.” Growth is the pursuit of the asymptote of “perfection.” As Vince Lombardi said, “Perfection is not attainable. But, if we chase perfection, we will catch excellence.” Growth is not cyclical! Ever trees, which go through the cycles of the seasons are growing through these periods of renewal and loss. How are the goals that we have set for ourselves fulfilling the call for “continuous improvement”.
If you have signed on to a “transformation”, how are you preparing yourself for permanent growth/change? How are your plans for 2021 going to lead you to being better in 2022, instead of back to the same starting point? If the answer is: “I don’t know”, then you must rethink your plan (or, judging from the answer, create a plan).
Well-centered fitness (i.e., Spiritual, Physical, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social growth) requires a strategy—a plan. I apply the same principles of adaptation taught in exercise physiology—specificity, overload, progression, recovery, reversibility, and individuality—to growth in the Spiritual, Intellectual, Emotional, and Social dimension, as well as the Physical dimension. Otherwise, there is no lasting growth. (The principle of reversibility—also regarded as the “use-it-or-lose-it” principle—reminds us that, if we don’t sustain our efforts, we will revert to a lower “training” status.)
Be unrealistic in your goals. By this, I don’t mean “pursue the unattainable.” I mean stretch yourself. Seek more than others think you can accomplish. Risk failure to grow in the process. “Chase perfection.” In the pursuit of perfection, you will undoubtedly move in the direction of excellence. Kaizen.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!!