Decide to do the thing
This post will either annoy you or inspire you. I’m willing to annoy a few if it inspires one.
When I first start working with a new client 1-on-1 or as part of a group program, I ask them to complete a questionnaire to understand a bit about their background, goals, and habit history so we can build a meaningful starting point.
When I ask which hurdles have come up in the past when trying to achieve weight loss or other health goals, there are two responses that seem to appear more than others:
Lack of time
Lack of consistency
We use this insight–their self awareness of tendencies, triggers, and traps–to create a personalized plan, and for the next several weeks, we execute and adjust until we find something sustainable and effective.
The time it takes varies for each person but at some point we hit what I call the “breakthrough.”
Something changes. Not just in their habits or scale weight but in their demeanor.
When checking their habit tracking, I notice something different…they’ve tracked most of their meals, they got 3 workouts in instead of 1-2, they took more steps, and they packed a lunch for the in office day instead of eating out…and, the scale is trending in the direction they want.
It’s all coming together.
After celebrating their wins and talking through all this great stuff, I ask… “So, what was different last week? How did you make time for everything?”
Regardless of how many times they may have stumbled along the way, the answer is almost always the same, a variation that sounds like this:
“I just decided to do it.”
Say more:
…I let my partner handle the kids so I could get to the gym.
…I packed my lunch with leftovers from dinner.
…I took a walk before my first call.
…I split the entree into two servings and skipped the dessert this time.
There’s no secret supplement. They did not pause time Zack Morris style, and I’ve never seen any of them in a DeLorean. They literally just decided to do the thing.
Sometimes we spend so much energy researching options or creating the plan that we forget the real magic is in the doing of the thing. The “work” of following through is not always easy but it is simple.
In a way, I know this can sound annoying or unhelpful.
Like, “What? I can’t just do it. I’m too busy, I’m too tired, I’m too [insert other legit reason it’s been hard to make time for your health]…”
That is all real. But what if it is as simple as just deciding that today you will do something differently?
> You will take the walk instead of spending another 15 minutes on email.
> You will ask for help with the kiddo so you can make it to a bootcamp class at the gym.
> You will try the meal prep delivery place so you have healthy options ready for the end of the week.
I don’t mean to discount how hard this decision can be. We all have our own version of “waiting for the stars and moon to align” before starting something new or making a change.
While perfect alignment sounds tempting, the truth is we don’t have a lot of time to waste, somehow we gotta find a way.
Decide > Act > Build Momentum > Become the person who achieves their goals.
It won’t be easy but it does get easier.
What will you decide for yourself today?
