Sunday, January 08, 2006

Heavy Resolution

On Making Goals

Okay, here they are: my resolutions for the New Year. I’ve been working hard on this.

1. Lose ten pounds.
I have read that if you announce this goal to the world, or at least to somebody, it will be more likely to happen.

I actually do know how to lose weight. What I have to do is determine to pay attention to the signals God gave me. What signals? When I am hungry, my empty stomach growls and calls attention to itself with a gnawing sensation. When I begin to get politely full, my stomach calls attention to itself by feeling satisfied and filled. During the forty or so years that I have been interested in such things, I have learned that it takes about twenty minutes for the "full" feeling to travel from the stomach to the brain; therefore, I must eat slowly. If I eat fast, as I sometimes do, I may feel (and be) "stuffed," rather than "full" by the time that signal reaches my brain.

The problem is this: even though God planned the human body perfectly, the human has choice. I often choose to ignore those signals of hunger and fullness; I allow myself to be carried away by another part of this perfect plan—taste. I’ve been trying since last March to get myself to lose ten pounds, to no avail. It is not that I can’t do it—but that I won’t. I admit this truth to myself and hereby announce to you that I intend to do it.

2. Get organized.

Well, let’s don’t get too carried away here. One thing at a time. I think I’ll just concentrate on #1.

On Achieving Goals

The pastor of my church recently quoted a study done by experts in such things as achieving goals. This study said that only three percent of people actually achieve goals that they set for themselves. That’s discouraging.

However! The study added that of the three percent who do achieve their goals, ninety-five percent wrote down the goals. That means I am ahead of the game, already!

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