It’s a new year, and you know what that means: New Year’s Resolutions! I work out at the gym and I see them every January. People flooding the gym after January 1 who are desperate for a change and don’t know what they’re doing. But don’t worry…they’ll be gone by Valentine’s Day. Happens every year.

So why do humans always desire to improve, but rarely do? I mean, I committed in August to lose 10 pounds, but by December 31st I had gained 10! What’s wrong with us? I find it helpful to at least recognize the human inclination to set lofty goals and regularly fail to meet them. It’s in our DNA.

Super Bowl-winning coach Tom Landry of the Dallas Cowboys summed it this way. “I have a job to do that is not very complicated, but it is very difficult; to get a group of men to do what they don’t want to do so they can achieve the one thing they have wanted all their lives.” Landy, of course, was saying, “All these NFL players want to win a Super Bowl, but they don’t want to work for it.”

Another analogy is told via a story. “A young coach said to a wise veteran coach, ‘My team will start winning when they find the will to win.’ The veteran coach replied, ‘No, your team will start winning when they find the will to prepare’.” Same sentiment, told a different way.

So, here at the start of 2022, a new year and a new blank slate, what would you like to achieve? Then ask yourself, “Am I ready to prepare?” As Tom Landry said, “It’s not very complicated, but it’s very difficult.”

The good news is you don’t have to achieve your goal all at once, but rather in small bites over a long time. Or as Beth Moore puts it, “An obedient life grows from obedient days.” And Dr. John Maxwell simple sums it up this way, “Winning starts with beginning.” So…BEGIN! Those people in the gym in January are at least far and away better than the ones who didn’t even try!

God’s blessings on you as you “find the will to prepare.”