New Year - Fresh Start!

How many of us have said this year I am going to………

The list could be the same as last year’s list, or maybe this is the first time you have made a list of things that you want to do, change, start or whatever it maybe.  So everyone wants self-improvement, or at least the desire for it. It's why so many of us—some estimates say more than 40% of Americans—make New Year's resolutions.

But for all the good intentions, only a tiny fraction of us keep our resolutions; University of Scranton research suggests that just 8% of people achieve their New Year's goals.

Most people believe that habits are formed by completing a task for 21 days in a row. Twenty-one days of putting in the work on a certain task, then boom, a new habit is formed... Sorry, this is far from the truth of making something a habit. The 21-day myth began as a misinterpretation of Dr. Maxwell Maltz’s work on self-image. Dr. Maltz did not find that 21 days of task completion forms a habit. Everyone that followed him and his self-direction for success wanted to believe that so badly and did so that it suck and spread.

Even though the 21-day habit myth is out, let just use that in the case of making a change within your lifestyle to obtain a new healthy habit.  I ask you do you feel the best athletes in the world today started with the concept of, if I work hard for 21 straight days I will be a great athlete.  Do you think the most successful business people in the world started the journey with just a 21 day process in mind?

How does a sedentary person make the change into an active person? 

Does that just take 21 days? 

 Come on folks... I am not saying not to set yourself a time frame. Or even a personal goal of doing something consecutively to help you make a change or achieve that goal.

But let’s be real, 21 days? I will say that after 21 days of doing something day in and out for that 21 day period it will have an effect on you mentally and physically, but to state that you have formed a lasting habit that is a little stretched.

Where I am going with this, is that "It has to come from the Inside". We should all have goals within life that we are working towards obtaining. But to make a change within yourself it has to come from an internal drive that pushes you.

The best athletes in every sport are not the best because of habit. They have not obtained the success that they have off of mediocre work or goals. The internal drive has to come from within. It could be that you decided to make a change to become fit and healthy due to medical reasons, family medical history, wanting to feel better, or just looking for a change in your life.

Whatever your "Inside", drive is, use that to be the driving force when the days come that you don't feel like training, working out or eating healthy. The days when you are tired or your body is sore. Use that "inside" drive and get up and make it happen. 

All of us within fire service need to make a change and reduce the number of brothers and sister dying in the line of duty every year to cardiovascular issues.

                             

We have to change the mindset of the fire service and make the health/fitness levels of firefighters the main priority. How many more years do we need to continue to lose 50 plus brothers and sisters to these preventable issues? The firefighter’s needs to step up and not expect the fact that it continues to swept under the rug as part of the job.

The days of just being average won’t cut it any longer in the fire service. Firefighters are "occupational athletes", if you have taken the oath to be a firefighter this is your

"Job title" Firefighter = Occupational Athlete

The majority of the fire service does not promote healthy active lifestyles or work environments unless one of the following has affected them personally or the department they are a part of:

1. LODD from a preventable cardiovascular event

2. A "New Generation Fire Chief/ Admin Staff"

3. A personal medical condition

4. Or truly understands that being physically, mentally and tactfully trained and ready at any time is what is expected of you as a firefighter.

This is a huge battle that the fire service has to face and change. I am sure this will happen over time. We have to educate our brothers and sisters on the importance of being fit and healthy for the unexpected. We have to all understand that so many our counting on each and every one of you regardless of rank. 

If you work on a crew that has a member that is a "risk" to your personal safety of going home at the end of the shift due to that members fitness/health level. It’s your duty to inform them that something needs to change. I know this can be difficult with the "old school guys" or the officer in charge.

 This is no different than being on a scene and observing something that is unsafe, it’s YOUR job to stop it so no one gets injured. Help that brother or sister make the change for the better.

In closing, if this shoe fits put it on and make a change.  Don’t get upset about it. Use this as your "inside drive" that will push you to make a change. Do it for your family, crew, fellow brothers and sister, citizens, department and YOURSELF. 

 If you need to start with the mind set of making a change for 21 days to make it a habit in your mind then DO IT! If you work with someone that is in the mindset that physical understand and make the change that could save their life and yours one day.

Highly successful people have learned to develop good habits, and it takes discipline and hard work every day to keep those habits in place. It makes perfect sense to adopt habits that will facilitate success, yet, why are some so difficult to adopt? We know that living an unhealthy/sedentary lifestyle has been linked to all types of medical conditions ultimately resulting in death. Make a change. You’re being counted on by so many.

If you need any help or assistance with taking that next step and making a change for a healthier lifestyle  CLICK HERE 

It's GO Time.
J.Brahm 
#noexcuses