Tom Rowland | New Year's Resolution Planning & Goal Setting Framework | Tom Rowland Podcast Ep. 393

In this solo Physical Friday episode of the Tom Rowland Podcast, host Tom Rowland shares his proven framework for setting and achieving New Year's resolutions for 2021. As a lifelong outdoorsman, fishing guide, and CrossFit athlete based in the Florida Keys, Tom knows what it takes to create lasting behavioral change. With 2020 coming to an end and people ready to leave a difficult year behind, Tom provides practical homework assignments to ensure your New Year's resolution actually sticks this time. He discusses the proper planning needed to hit the ground running on January 1, from determining your goal and understanding your why, to setting up an environment that makes success easier than failure. If you've gained weight in quarantine, fallen off your fitness routine, or have been putting off a major life goal, this episode gives you the roadmap to make 2021 different.

The Power of Making a Real Decision

Tom opens this episode with a bold claim that might surprise you: if you truly make the decision to accomplish your goal, you're already 60% of the way there. But what does making a real decision actually mean? Most people, Tom explains, waver on their decisions. They say they want to lose 30 pounds or deadlift 500 pounds or catch a permit on fly, but they haven't truly committed. Tom draws a distinction between wishing for something and deciding you're going to do it. The difference lies in understanding not just what you want to accomplish, but why you need to accomplish it. Tom shares his philosophy that if your why is strong enough, it will overcome any how. But what constitutes a strong enough why? Tom gives specific examples that separate weak motivations from powerful ones. Tom reveals the critical difference between surface-level wants and deep motivations at 05:49.

The Three Questions That Change Everything

Tom structures his pre-New Year's homework around three fundamental questions that most people skip entirely. The first seems obvious: determine what your goal is. But Tom pushes deeper than just stating an intention. He wants you to write it down and share it with other people. The second question is where most resolutions fall apart: determine why you want this. Tom doesn't accept superficial answers. Wanting to look better in your pants isn't a strong enough reason. But what about knowing that if you don't lose 40 pounds, the doctor says you're going to die early? That affects your ability to be there for your children. That's a real why. The third question addresses the practical reality of execution: how will you accomplish this goal? Tom explores the importance of choosing methods you'll actually enjoy, finding coaches or accountability partners, and critically, setting up your environment to make success easier than failure. The full framework with specific examples starts at 05:09.

Making It Easier to Do It Than Not to Do It

One of Tom's most practical insights involves a concept that flips traditional willpower thinking on its head. Instead of relying on discipline to drag yourself to the gym across town, what if you structured your life so that not going to the gym created more problems than going? Tom shares specific strategies for this, from choosing a gym you drive past every day to setting up accountability partners who will give you a hard time if you don't show up. He addresses a critical mistake many people make: creating a fitness plan that takes away from family time instead of adding to their life. If you're a busy parent with three kids at home and you decide to hit the swimming pool from 5:30 to 8:00 PM every night, you might be accomplishing your fitness goals while creating massive problems at home. Tom offers an alternative approach that involves waking up earlier to get your workout done before the family day begins. The specific strategies for making success inevitable start at 11:32.

The Book That Changed Tom's Approach to Habit Formation

Tom doesn't just share his own frameworks in this episode. He points listeners to what he considers an essential resource for anyone attempting behavioral change: Atomic Habits by James Clear. Tom references this book regularly because of its practical framework for forming new habits or breaking old ones. The book outlines four laws of behavioral change that Tom uses every single day: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying. Whether you want to quit smoking, start lifting weights, quit eating bad food, or start running marathons, Tom insists the principles are the same. He doesn't just recommend the book casually; he describes it as meaningful and important, suggesting that if you're looking for any behavioral change, you'll find the answers in this book. Tom's enthusiasm for this resource indicates just how much it's influenced his own approach to goal-setting and habit formation. Tom introduces the four laws of behavioral change at 15:21.

Final Thoughts from Tom

2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, and I know many of you are ready to turn the page and make some real changes. I've been there myself—wanting to accomplish something big but not having the right framework to actually make it happen. That's why I wanted to share this episode now, before January 1 rolls around and you're trying to figure everything out on the fly.

The homework I'm giving you in this episode isn't busy work. It's the foundation that separates people who stick with their resolutions from those who give up by February. When you determine not just what you want to accomplish but why you need to accomplish it, everything changes. I'm talking about finding that deep reason that will pull you through the hard days when motivation is low.

I'm 100% convinced that you can accomplish whatever goal you set for 2021, whether it's losing 30 pounds, getting your captain's license, or completely transforming your health. If you need help staying accountable, text me at (305) 930-7346 with the word accountability. Let's make 2021 the year things actually change. This episode gives you the complete roadmap—listen to the whole thing and get ready to hit the ground running on January 1.