There are a few pearls of wisdom from Yogi Berra that I absolutely love. For example:

"When you come to a fork in the road, take it."

"You better cut the pizza in four slices because I'm not hungry enough to eat six"

AND

"You can observe a lot just by watching."

But, there's one quote that comes to mind when the calendar is reset, and gyms are flooded with New Years resolutions: "If you don't know where you're going, you'll end up someplace else."

As I wrote last year, I'm not a big fan of resolutions, because they're not actual goals. Rather than thinking "I just want to get more fit/less fat/more muscular/stronger/etc," think about what goals and paths will actually get you there. If you want bigger arms, a weighted chin up goal is appropriate....if you want to lose fat, pick a squat or deadlift goal. And if you have a bodyfat goal, choose a diet that's sustainable but will also be based in actually losing weight.

Once you have a goal, how do you actually, you know, get there? I've often believed that everyone needs to be held accountable, but the source can differ. For some, it's a pair of pants. For others, it's trying to prove something to someone (which is why some of the best weight loss stories that I've heard have come prior to weddings, high school reunions, and so on).

For me? Thankfully I have this blog which will help kill two bird with one stone. By outlining my specific goals, I've already outlined my path, and it'll also keep my accountable to all of you as well.

So, to that end, here are my personal goals for 2014:

Deadlift 500 pounds
Overhead Press 200 pounds
Bench Press 300 pounds
Front Squat 300 pounds

As Dan John has said (and as I repeat to many of my clients), the goal is to keep the goal, the goal. As such, I'm not going to take up running, change my diet in any significant way, or anything that detracts from these goals. I've picked my goals, and I know where I'm going.

The journey is the fun part.

And now that I've said all of that, here's Jimmy Fallon and Blake Shelton clucking the song "Ho Hey" in chicken costumes, just because..