As we countdown the days in 2013, we get ready for a new year…2014. And forget about New Years resolutions, they never work. Well, for me they don’t. I need goals and plans as much as the next guy. But I need them all the time, not just as a new year resolution.
The challenges men face in the year to come will not be unprecedented. The three areas of health, money, and happiness are always trending, no matter what year it is. It seems these days that economic pressures add extra weight to the task of maintaining our standard of living – so what is one to do?
The Magic Key
It’s not really a magic key, but it gives you something to consider – integration.Integrating positive changes is a vital key to success. Because men are creatures of habit, good or bad, changes must become part of your lifestyle (routine). Take for example driving. Once you learn how to drive do you ever think about hitting the brake at a red light? No, you just do it (as Nike says). Or like Jeff Bridges said in Starman, “Yellow means go very fast”.
This is called an integrated response.
Health – Topping the List
Health, money, and happiness are all interrelated in one form or another, but health takes precedence.Without health, no job – no money. Without health it’s extremely hard to be happy. Can money buy health or happiness? Most times no. Can you be happy without health? Not likely. How about being happy without money? Some people can. So, as you can see health gets extra points when prioritizing the three topics.Health is a combination of both physical and mental status. Maintaining good health involves exercise, diet, and mental stimulation.
Exercise and Diet – everywhere you turn you hear about exercise and diet, so we won’t beat this dead horse to much. All we want to say is, to make it a part of your routine and have it stick, you must integrate changes slowly and find exercises you enjoy.
Mental Stimulation – what are you reading, watching, and listening to? Do these things invigorate you or do they anger and drain you of energy? Remember this – your physical health is a manifestation of how you think…think well, feel well.
Money, Money, MoneyMen can either make money or create it (we don’t mean counterfeit).Making money is a product of work/job, creating income is a product of business/entrepreneurship. The Internet has opened up many opportunities for budding entrepreneurs. People with hobbies have transformed their interest into a thriving online business.The information age also offers a wealth of information for self directed investing. The average investor has access to bonds, mutual funds, and a variety of other investment vehicles. You have complete control over your financial future; this is great news for the coming year.
Happiness in 2014
Everyone has their own version of happiness, but if we had to identify one thing that could help most men in the year to come it would be the word worry.The simple definition is: “to dwell on difficulty or troubles; anxiety or unease.” All worry does is suck the life from you. Make changes to reduce worry from your mindset and vocabulary. Worry doesn’t create solutions, it creates problems.
I watched After Earth for the first time last night. It wasn’t as bad as the critics tore it apart and I actually liked the message behind it. In it Will Smith quotes,
“If we are going to survive this, you need to remember, fear is not real. It is a product of the thoughts you create. Now do not misunderstand me; danger is very real. But fear is a choice.”
Make 2014 a year for solutions. In the year 2014 become a better man.
The key for me is just as you said – make it a habit. I take one thing at a time and focus on that until it becomes a routine. Then I introduce a new habit into the mix. Trying to do 10 new things at once is going to lead to failure, at least for me. I wanted to start working out and eating right. I tried both at the same time and failed. So, I focused on exercising. Once I made this a habit, I started to introduce healthier eating and both have since stuck.