Another Christmas is done and dusted and we are but a few days from 2017. During this time people start to think about their new year’s resolution for 2017. Like all resolutions within a few months of the new year people lose focus revert to their old way. I guess this applies to the majority.
Before you set your 2017 it’s best to take stock of your previous new year’s resolutions. Do you remember them? How did you fair? Did you get them complete or did you lose focus?
My 2016 in a short review
2016 has been a massive year for me. I said goodbye to my workmates at Weatherbeeta and took time off to write and publish a book, Build Your Basketball Profile. I was so efficient in writing my first book I also used the down time to write a second book that will be published early in the new year. Please check in on the Resources section for more information on when the book lands.
2016 saw me move from Melbourne to Sydney for a new job as the Head of Digital for Glue Store. Then a few months into my move I went to Philippines to be the best man at my little brothers wedding. This made me feel very old!
This was my new year’s resolution for 2016 but I think the one thing I enjoyed the most was regularly playing basketball. In Melbourne every weekend I would go down to Pakenham and hoop with the boys and since I have moved to Sydney I have been playing more basketball.
Looking at my 2016 resolutions
To be totally honest with you I don’t do the conventional resolutions at the start of every year. I am a highly goal orientated person and I plan my goals into micro goals so I know what I have to do to get things done.
Having said that in 2016 I did say that I wanted to lean out. In 2015 I was in the worse shape I have ever been in. I put on far too much weight and had a gut. I remember seeing the photo my friend took outside the Emirates stadium and I had this massive bulge in my mid section. What the hell happened to me?
When I returned from Europe I got a job with GE Finance and was reunited with some of my previous workmates from Telstra.
Etched in my memory is one of these workmates seeing me for the first time in 4 year was so surprised and said “You’ve gained weight, I thought you looked after yourself”. I take these things personally and I knew that I needed to do something to get back to my lean self.
My brothers wedding date, a goal to aim for
I spent most of 2015 trying to get into shape and at the start of 2016 when my brothers wedding date was set I made it my resolution to be lean for the wedding.
The wedding came around and I was in ok shape, not the shape I wanted but it was vastly better than where I started from. I still had my love handles but no gut and some of my mid abs were starting to appear.
The great news is now as we are approaching the end of the year I am finally ok with the way I look to go to the beach. Yes, for the last two years I was shy to take my shirt off in public. This said, I can comfortably say that I have achieved my 2016 resolution. However, I am not stopping there!
My new year’s resolution for 2017
Dropping a lot of weight this year has made me more determined to become leaner. My resolution in 2017 is to be photoshoot ready. Now, I’m not dropping weight to be photographed, that is not my goal. Neither is it to get girls in the sack.
I have been a disciplined person all my life and I was so disappointed with myself to let myself go as I did. I’m body image conscious because I am a disciplined person and never want to go back to that fat dude in front of the Emirates stadium.
Additional to my weight management my aim is to play more basketball, maybe even return to the rep ranks in a limited capacity.
You know, I am enjoying playing basketball again as much as I did when I was younger training with the Melbourne Tigers.
Setting goals for 2017
I really hope you all take the time to set goal this year. It is a great way of keeping to the right path in achieving your dreams. For most of you young basketball players this is a critical time. Preseason will be starting soon for the rep leagues in Australia and the European summer league kicks off in 5 months.
The time to start planning and getting yourself ready is NOW! I wrote an article a year ago, 5 Questions to ask yourself when setting goals for 2016. The content in this article is still relevant. If you haven’t read this yet, do so and put plans into action. After all, you are not getting younger!
All the best to those trying out for rep teams in the new year and all those working hard for the European summer league.
