Why we’re setting New Year’s resolutions for 2022 (and starting them now)

Marking the changing calendar with New Year’s resolutions is a long-standing tradition but also a divisive one. While some riders love the opportunity to look back on each year and plot out the next 12 (or more) months, others can’t stand it.

I have, I’ll admit, always fallen into the latter category. New Year’s is a convenient marker to do some planning, but not particularly useful one for myself personally. The day falls half way through an offseason and doesn’t really mark any change, except for on the calendar. That, added to the hype of NYE and this – admittedly downer –  sense that most resolutions are doomed to disappear before January’s done has always kept me from making my own goals.

This year I’m trying, though. Here’s why I’m committing to making commitments, why I think it could be good for others this year, too. And, most importantly, why I think starting them in January is key to success in August, September  – or whenever you want to see the change.

Why you should  start your New Year’s goals this offseason

Unpredictable calendars need different goals

It is beyond obvious to say the last couple of years have been unpredictable and that 2022 will carry at least some of the same uncertainty. As someone who has always enjoyed racing my bike, that’s messed with my year planning a bit. While I could always put off a vague riding goal, race days don’t move (or … didn’t used to). Having a date that I’d committed to made it easier to start, or keep training.

Without the certainty of those set dates, I’m setting my own goals this year. They’re a little vaguer, but should pay off for what races do happen. And, if events are cancelled, they’ll still make riding my bike more fun. Specifically, I’m aiming to get better at cornering and gain confidence jumping. Both have always been weaknesses in my riding, and ones that were easy to put off while chasing fitness for race goals.

There will be setbacks

We all have busy lives and, especially lately, unpredictable ones. There’s no avoiding unknown and unexpected curveballs that jobs, kids, injuries and who knows what else will throw at you. But, if you’ve already been putting in a foundation by starting early in the early – no matter how minimal – when you do get back on track, you won’t be starting from square one. Proactive beats perfect when you’re not sure what comes next.

Start easy and build

If you’re new to structured training – whether that’s technical skills or fitness goals, jumping in five days a week twice a day may work for a while. But, for many of us, it might also lead to burnout. building towards a goal steadily can make those gains sustainable. There’s nothing more frustrating than starting a year strong and then getting injured, or just burnt out, right as the best parts of the outdoor riding season start. Having a coach can help keep those long-term goals in perspective.

Have someone else tell you what to do

Some people have remarkable willpower and self-control. I do not. But, if a coach tells me to, I will do workouts I’d never make it halfway through on my own. This remains true, no matter how much it annoys me that it is true. But coaches do more than provide external motivation. They also provide structure, expertise and feedback, like long-term progress.

Start early to be ready for summer

There may still be snow covering the trails in January, but you can still start making your 2021 goals a reality. In fact, the sooner you start taking steps, whether that’s finding a coach or doing indoor training, the easier hitting those goals will be.