New Year's Resolutions & Their Longevity: A Treatise

***NOTE*** This is thefirst post in a series of posts whose topics were picked by my readers and pals.  If you are just tuning in and want to watch me make a fool of myself by posting about whatever is on your mind, drop me an email sometime and I'll see what I can do.

Today's topic was selected by new reader and first-time commenter, Debo Blue.  Debo, this is for you.

You know, I am sitting up typing this in the dead of night on the second of January, and I have to tell you that I am not really in the mood to talk about New Year's Resolutions (NYR's). Do you know why that is?  I'll tell you:  it's because I think that they are stupid.  Stupid, I tell you, because NYR's are basically things that you promise yourself knowing full well that you aren't going to do them.

Sure, you know that you gained weight last year.  Probably a lot of weight.  Well, maybe you didn't, but I sure did.  I resemble nothing so much as a mildly-attractive-if-he-weren't-so-damned-fat-chocolate-brown Jabba The Hut... but I digress.  Sure, you plan to lose that weight, and some more... but you know what?  You won't.  You won't because the reason that you are probably fatter than you should be, is because you have so many demands on your time, that you eat too much crap, at the wrong times of day, and you don't have the discipline to watch what you put in your mouth and to make sure that you make time to exercise daily.

This is just an example of why NYR's don't work.  They don't work because they usually require lifestyle changes that people don't really want to make.  Yeah, I know we say we do... because I want to lose this extra poundage... but I like wine.  I like heavy beers.  I love double cheese burgers, too... and I don't want to lose them.  So, I'll stay fat, and you will too, unless you have discipline.

If you want to be a ballroom dancing champ, you are going to have to sacrifice some of what little free time that you have, to not only take classes, but to practice as well.

If you want to be a vegetarian, you have to mean it... especially when all the other people order really nice steaks.

If you want to be a gunfighter, you have to commit to a lifetime of regular practice and training.

None of this stuff is easy.  Discipline is the key.

If you don'thave any, you'll have to develop it.  If you can't become disciplined (and let's face it, most Americans aren't), you'll just be asking this same question about resolutions, year after year,  until they close the box on your unresolved (and still fat) ass.

Happy New Year.