Yesterday’s project: strategic reflection on the year past. Today’s agenda: action plan. It’s where the rubber meets the road, folks. Call it a New Year’s resolution if you will, but this isn’t about some half-assed gesture toward a nebulous pipe dream. I’m talking about crystal clear objectives and an explicit progress plan. Define what you want for your health this year. Outline how you’re going to achieve it, and then get moving! Are you ready to tackle 2011 head-on? Get out your pens, ladies and gentlemen. Today we’re charting the course ahead!
Are you honing an already solid Primal routine? Are you a beginner looking for the pivotal nudge? Are you an evolving Primal type looking to deepen or expand your commitment? Wherever you are in your Primal journey, this is my question for you: what is your vision for the next step? What unfinished business do you have? What terrain will you traverse next? What vision of enhanced well-being beckons you?
Now define the daily, weekly, and quarterly efforts that will get you there. What will take the place of grains in your diet (e.g. new Primal breakfast favorites?)? What will your sprint exercises consist of each week? Set up a strength training schedule for the week. Verbalizing your goals and breaking down the steps to achieve them will be a powerful beginning to your year’s health agenda.
Afraid of biting off more than you can chew? This is a reasonable consideration. It pays to be realistic about what level of change you’re willing to accept in your life right now. My advice is to focus on the next few months and what you’re genuinely willing to take on in the short-term. You might be surprised, however, how much ambition a little success inspires as you plan out the rest of your year.
Nonetheless, don’t be afraid to go big and bold if you’re up for a take-no-prisoners, truly transformative challenge. I invite you to take inspiration from the incredible success stories I’ve posted recently. (A hearty thanks again to these folks for sharing their experiences!)
Finally, I’ll do my part to check in with all of you along the way. In addition to my regular Primal tips, recipes, and workout routines, I’ll offer up quarterly reviews with accompanying PDFs and other tools to help you track your progress and make the most of MDA’s copious resources.
Are you on board? Are you excited and energized? Are you gunning to get started? Good readers, have at it! Now it’s time to act. Get out there and make it happen! Please share your goals, and I encourage you to use the forum as your personal Primal journal. Let it be a space for you to share your vision, your daily feats, and the ups and downs along the way. The support I know you’ll get from other community members will be invaluable for your journey.
I’ll look forward to reading your plans – and ambitious visions for 2011. May it be a prosperous and life-changing year for everyone!
About the Author
Mark Sisson is the founder of Mark’s Daily Apple, godfather to the Primal food and lifestyle movement, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Keto Reset Diet. His latest book is Keto for Life, where he discusses how he combines the keto diet with a Primal lifestyle for optimal health and longevity. Mark is the author of numerous other books as well, including The Primal Blueprint, which was credited with turbocharging the growth of the primal/paleo movement back in 2009. After spending more than three decades educating folks on why food is the key component to achieving and maintaining optimal wellness, Mark launched Primal Kitchen, a real-food company that creates flavorful and delicious kitchen staples crafted with premium ingredients like avocado oil. With over 70 condiments, sauces, oils, and dressings in their lineup, Primal Kitchen makes it easy to prep mouthwatering meals that fit into your lifestyle.