One of the biggest barriers that one will find towards achieving any goal, is how they set themselves up to succeed or fail. We live in a society where it seems we set ourselves up to fail far more than we set ourselves up to succeed.
One of the best methods to set yourself up to succeed is to speak with authority over your own actions. Whether you are trying to make changes to your nutrition, or trying to figure out how to get to the gym often enough during the week…start taking authority over those situations.
A few things that you can do…first for your nutrition. Remove the word can’t!
Instead of saying something like “I can’t eat cake” and feeling like you are literally leaving something on the table or beating yourself up, embrace the phrase “I don’t eat cake”. Or you might have a phrase such as “I don’t eat sugar, unless it is a birthday party”. The difference in the phrasing simply is a matter of in one instance you are a victim (can’t) and in the other you are taking a stand and owning the decision. One is empowering (don’t) and one is deflating (can’t).
The same is true about your training. First let me give the disclaimer that I know that life happens and things do not always go as planned, but you can commit to getting in some sort of workout and not accept the excuses we tell ourselves. We will say things like “I will go to the gym, if I’m not too tired” or “I will just see how I feel”. Get rid of the disclaimers and go no matter how you feel. If you absolutely cannot make it to the gym, commit to going for a walk.
Yes, it is very yoda-like. You either will or you won’t. There is no try and the best way to be successful is to not give yourself any excuses before you start. If life happens and you can’t make it, great…accept that and be content, but don’t start the day or week by sabotaging your efforts. When we add a qualifier or a “but” to statements, we are already in the mindset that we are going to be too tired to do anything.
Start your Monday by saying “I will get to the gym 3 times this week.” or “I will work out 3 times” That’s it. Nothing else. Keep that front and center, not the possible reasons you won’t be able to do something.
It’s Monday, commit to getting better and leave the obstacles and excuses behind you.