I’m not a huge New Year resolution guy, nor am I a huge fan of New Years eve, its kind of like amateur hour if you ask me. That being said, like most people I will look back at the past year as well as forward to the upcoming year to find some things that I did well, didn’t do well, and plan to do better. That being said, here are a few things, seven to be exact, that I plan of doing better in 2016.

Sleep More

In the past year one thing that I have done a terrible job of doing is getting ample sleep. Getting up early is the norm in our profession, it isn’t going to change, so I need to change. In the past year I probably averaged 5-6 hours a sleep a night. My goal is to get an average of 8 hours a sleep a night to simply take better care of myself. I am assuming it won’t take long before I feel better and have much more energy throughout the day, without the help of a constant caffeine drip, which I’ll touch on in just a second…

Drink Less Coffee

I love coffee as much as the next person…I could drink it all day and think nothing of it. I probably drink 3 large coffees a day. If anyone wants to go grab a coffee I am the first person to be willing to go with them.

On the other end of the spectrum, if I am busy and don’t have my typical amount of caffeine throughout the day I will get a headache by noon…it’s like clockwork. Clearly not healthy, clearly a caffeine addiction. A coffee or two a day isn’t a big deal, but being less dependent is a must.

Move & Feel Better

The older I get the more I realize how important moving well is…yet I don’t do nearly as much mobility type training as I should. I know my shoulder mobility is poor and my hip mobility is adequate at best…but I do close to nothing to make it better. Dedicating 10-15 minutes a day to moving better isn’t a huge time investment, but should make a huge difference over the course of the year.

Make More Time for my Own Training

This one is short and sweet. The last year or so I have not done a great job of taking the time to take care of myself. My training has been extremely sporadic. Four strength training sessions a week, 3 conditioning sessions a week is what I am shooting for. More specifically, focus in on Trap Bar Deadlift, Chin Ups, Split Squats and Bench Press from a strength standpoint and focus on aerobic power and aerobic capacity from a conditioning standpoint…consistent and brilliant at the basics.

Invest More In Myself Professionally

Continuing education is something that I am passionate about, whether it be from a personal or professional. I spend a great deal of time reading and listening to podcasts like Mike Boyle’s Strength Coach Podcast, Mike Robertson’s Physical Preparation Podcast, Pacey Performance Podcast, and Ron McKeefery’s Iron Game Chalk Talk.

On the other hand I have done a poor job at attending seminars/conferences and live courses. Last year I made it to the CSCCa National Conference in Nashville, but that was it. No other seminars/conferences and zero live courses.

This year my goal is to make it 4-5 conferences at a minimum. The plan is to go to the MBSC Winter Seminar (went last weekend), the CSCCa National Conference in Dallas, the NSCA Maine State Clinic, the Perform Better Summit in Providence and the BSMPG Summer Seminar…at the very least. On top of that I am hoping to attend a couple PRI courses as well as Dr. Andreo Spina’s Functional Range Conditioning course.

Enjoy the Process

Piggybacking off the previous point, not trying to learn everything at once and sitting back and trying to enjoy the process is something I could do better at. We live in a society that wants everything in the moment, the instant gratification. We can’t learn it all and we can’t spend all our waking time trying to learn it all, we need balance.

The same goes professionally. We all want to do more, make more, and have more responsibility…and we want it now. The reality of the situation is that it takes time to reach the top of the mountain and have all the teams and responsibilities that you may want. Instead of worrying about these types things, sitting back, enjoying the process, adding value everyday and trying to get better everyday will eventually get you to where you want to go. Gotta enjoy the process.

Build Better Relationships with Athletes

Last but maybe the most important point on the list. Building better relationships, through simply conversations is a must. The old saying “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” rings true as a strength and conditioning coach. In order to help people achieve their goals, they have to trust that you will always have their best interests in mind, and the only way for them to put their trust in you, you need put the time into building relationships.