From Resolutions to Results: How Habits Transform Your Life

I can still remember how I felt every time the New Year was approaching. I was determined that this year would be the year I transformed my life! I was going to lose weight, exercise every day, and only eat "healthy" foods. And of course, "healthy foods" were always determined by whatever new "diet" I had decided to try that year.

Now, it’s been over a decade since I’ve felt that way, and let me tell you—it feels amazing. No more worrying about making a laundry list of resolutions that would fail, leaving me beating myself up and feeling like a failure all over again. Instead, I get to go into the New Year continuing with the habits I’ve built over time, rather than scrambling to create new resolutions.

When you make the switch to focusing on building habits, everything changes. Habits are the foundation for lasting change. While resolutions rely on willpower (which we all know fades), habits work on autopilot, becoming a natural part of who you are and how you live.

And that, my friends, is how you create results that truly transform you and your life.

So, how do you move from making resolutions to building habits that truly transform your life? Let me show you.

Habits Are Who We Are

A habit is something we do intuitively, without giving it much thought. We already have tons of habits we don’t even realize—like the way we brush our teeth, drink our coffee, talk to our family, or the time we get up in the morning. Habits make up our routine. They become part of who we are.

If you want to see real results and transform your life, you need to change your habits. Resolutions are temporary, but habits are what shape us. To reach your goals and truly transform, it starts with changing the small, everyday habits that define your life.

Changing Our Habits

Habits aren’t set in stone—you can change them to fit the results you want. But let’s be honest, some habits are harder to break than others. I know this firsthand. I spent the first 40 years of my life overweight and unhealthy. Changing decades of bad habits wasn’t easy. But by slowly shifting one or two habits at a time, I replaced the bad with the good.

If your goal is to eat healthier, lose weight, or build muscle, you need to create habits that support those goals. Enforce those habits every single day until they become second nature. It won’t happen overnight, but consistency is what creates transformation.

Quick fixes might bring temporary results, but they don’t build habits. Without new habits, you’ll fall back into old patterns, and the cycle will repeat. If you truly want to transform your life, focus on building habits that stick—not resolutions that fade.

Habits Are The Foundation that turn Resolutions to Results

Your habits set the tone for your life. If you create a habit of eating healthy, you’ll naturally become a healthier person. If you make working out a habit, you’ll get stronger and more physically fit. But it’s not just about health—habits also shape your personality.

Want to be a more positive person? Start a habit of looking for the bright side. Want to be friendlier? Make it a habit to greet people with a smile. Who you want to become is directly tied to the habits you create. One of the best habits I created was starting the day with "quiet time", reading positive/motivational books and gratitude journaling.

So ask yourself: Who do you want to be? What habits do you need to build, and which ones do you need to break, to become that person? The foundation for transformation is built one habit at a time.

Habits Become Our Motivation

We’ve all had days where we just don’t feel like doing what we’re supposed to—whether it’s eating right, exercising, or tackling responsibilities. The beauty of habits is that once they’re ingrained, they don’t rely on motivation. They become automatic.

When healthy eating becomes a habit, you can enjoy that occasional cupcake or treat without guilt. Why? Because you know you’ll go right back to your habit the next day. One indulgence won’t undo your progress when your foundation is strong.

However, you need to give yourself time to build that foundation. Quick fixes don’t give you time to replace bad habits with good ones, which is why many people regain the weight they lost. True results come when habits take root and become part of your life.

Habits Work Through a Loop

Habits work in a simple loop:

1. Cue/Trigger: A location, time of day, people, or emotion.

2. Routine: The behavior, like eating chocolate, biting your nails, or watching TV.

3. Reward: The pleasure or satisfaction your brain gets from the routine.

   
   

It’s the reward that reinforces the loop, making it automatic over time.

Habits Never Really Disappear

Because habits become part of who we are, they don’t simply go away—you have to replace them. After 40 years of being addicted to sugar, I still occasionally get cravings. But I’ve learned to manage them by keeping sweets out of the house and allowing myself occasional treats without guilt.

If you want to break a bad habit, the best approach is to replace it with a good one.

This is called the Golden Rule of Changing a Habit:

1. Use the same cue/trigger.

2. Change the routine.

3. Keep the same reward.

   
   

For example, if stress makes you reach for a sugary snack, replace that routine with something healthier—like a quick walk or a glass of water. You’ll still feel the reward without reinforcing the bad habit.

Transforming Your Life Through Habits

If you want to transform your life and see real, lasting results, you need to change your habits—not just make resolutions. Eliminate the habits that hold you back and replace them with habits that move you closer to your goals. Over time, these habits will become part of who you are.

And when habits become second nature, you won’t just reach your goals—you’ll maintain them, exceed them, and truly transform your life.

Ready to Build Better Habits?

This January, join the Not Your Average 30-Day Challenge and focus on two simple, powerful habits: strength training and protein intake.

Forget the overwhelm of trying to change everything at once—this challenge is all about building a strong foundation for long-term results. Start small, stay consistent, and watch your life transform.

Get on the waitlist now and make 2025 the year you stick to your resolutions and see real results!