5 Powerful Quotes to Inspire Your Weight Loss Journey

Jim Rohn was a motivational speaker, author, and coach back in the 1970’s and 80’s.  Chances are you have heard one of his quotes before, but didn’t know it.  He is known as one of the first pioneers of promoting personal development.  Rohn passed away in 2009, but his words continue to be some of the most powerful and motivational.

#1 - “Don’t say if I could I would.”  Say “If I can, I will”

This is a subtle mind shift that means everything to your outlook on life and weight loss.  Many of you believe that you can’t lose weight, because you have failed in the past.  You have probably told yourself if you could lose weight, you would.  Every person has the ability to lose weight, it is only a matter of finding the right strategy.  Start by replacing that thought with “If I can, I will.” 

#2 -“Don’t wish it was easier, wish you were better. Don’t wish for less problems, wish for more skills. Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom.”

Wishing that things were easier, wishing for less challenges and less problems is something we have all done.  At some point we have all spiraled into self pity and saying, “why me?”  What Rohn is getting at is that this does not serve us.  Working on personal development and gaining new skills is the key to over coming the obstacles that we face.  If you haven’t lost weight yet, it is because you haven’t yet developed the skills and knowledge needed for you.  Acknowledging that you need to develop those skills is the first step forward toward the result you want.

#3 - “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way.  If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” 

How many excuses have you made for why you haven’t lost weight yet?  Do you have an excuse for why you haven’t taken action today or this week?  Our brain will offer up many reasons why we should put it off.  “I’ll do it after the wedding next weekend.”  “I can’t right now because I have a big project at work.” “I’m too busy.”  The truth is, if you really want something, you will find a way.

A great example of this is a friend of mine, who works full time, has children and is insanely busy recently had water damage in her home during a particularly bad storm.  She had to call multiple companies, get quotes on repairs, and then have the repairs actually done - all of which required several hours of her time.  This is a woman who is running nonstop with no wiggle room in her schedule, yet she found a way.  Fixing the water damage was something she really wanted.

The truth is, if something is important to you, you will make it a priority.  If you watch Netflix at all, you have time to read and learn new skills.  If you spend time on social media, you have time to jot down your food plan for the next day. 

#4 - “You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.”

In the model that I use in coaching my clients, we often talk about circumstances, which are neutral.  Your family and their weight, this is a neutral circumstance.  It is what we think about that circumstance, and the story we tell ourselves about it, that results in our feelings.  If you have an overweight family (neutral fact), and you make that mean that you will always be overweight, it will sabotage your efforts.  You may feel hopeless that you cannot change because you come from an overweight family.  Take personal responsibility for your thoughts.  Just because your family is overweight does not mean you have to be as well, that is only the story you are telling yourself.  You can change yourself, you just have to focus on what you can control.

#5 - “Your level of success will rarely exceed your level of personal development, because success is something you attract by the person you become.”

If you want your weight loss success to be a level 10, but the current effort you are putting in to personal development around how to lose weight is a 2, you will not get the results you are looking for.  In order to be successful it takes the willingness to learn new skills, and to work consistently towards your goals.  Progress may seem slow at first, but as you develop and hone your new skills, you will start to see the compounding effect of all the small changes you are making.  How can you elevate your current effort and level up your weight loss journey?