Difference between New Years Resolution and New Years Commitment

Happy New Year everyone! Last night, we stayed in. It was all good, got some rest, read, watch some movies and was with my family.

Early in the day I had posed a question on my Facebook. The question "What are you plans for the New Year? Then I went on to say I had set a mini goal of 30 mins at least of exercise for the first 100 days of the New Year. Some days it might just be walking for 30mins but it will be something. I got some comments like good for you, I am doing the same etc. But one comment made me think last night and led me to posting this on my blog.

The comment was "Good Luck, it is hard to keep those resolutions. So this got me to thinking that this was not really a resolution but a commitment. Then what is the difference between resolutions and commitments?

Resolutions are best defined as promise made by an individual to oneself most often for the elimination of a negative habit or maybe to loose weight or save money. What ever it is it is a promise to oneself that will begin on New Years Day. Commitment is much the same, a promise to oneself but the main difference is that a commitment is a promise made towards a course of action or a very definite set of goals.

So my commitment is to exercise. I defined it by doing this during the first 100 days of the new year for 30 mins a day. As a commitment I have a plan of action.

New Year's resolution

• Traditionally made at the beginning of each year
• Is a promise that an individual made to oneself
• May involved changing oneself or maybe stop bad habits

New Year's commitment

• A promise made to oneself to achieve a particular goal
• Needs a plan of action
• Defines a goal
• Has a due date and documented
  

So my commitment is that I promise myself to exercise each day for at least 30mins. I will do this via the gym, xbox 360 Kinect game "Your Shape", walk/jogging, or doing some form of exercise at home as defined by my trainer. The goal is to do this for 100 days and will end on 10 April. But, I know I will continue to exercise beyond that date! ;)