Progress Is Not An Accident



“Progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything.”  - George Bernard Shaw

Progress is not an accident.  In order for progress to happen, you have to decide that you want your life to be different, that you want your life to be better, and then be intentional about it.  This requires a mindset shift first.

Feelings Drive Our Actions

In my coaching, I use a model that outlines circumstances lead to thoughts, thoughts lead to our feelings, and feelings are what drive us to take action.  Therefore, the first step is to decide how you would need to feel in order to lose weight.

When asked, “what feeling do you need to have in order to lose weight?” many of my clients answer by saying “motivated” or “inspired”.  While these are wonderful feelings to have, and will certainly help, will they carry you through the tough times?  When you are craving sugar after a long, stressful day, will you feel motivated?

Watch Someone Successful

When you really want to achieve a goal, it can often be helpful to look at someone who has already achieved that goal.  Watch them.  Study them.  What do they do?  How do you think they feel?  If you really study someone and pay attention to their daily routine, it is not easy, but they are committed. They dedicate significant time to their goal, no matter what feelings or obstacles come up.

Lindsay is a physician assistant who used to weigh over 400 pounds.  She had been trying to get pregnant for several years without success.  When she went to the fertility specialist, they told her there was nothing they could do until she lost weight.  Seeing that her weight was directly affecting her ability to have the family she had always dreamed of was a wake up call.

Lindsay had previously tried dieting multiple times, everything from Weight Watchers to the South Beach diet without success.  Hearing that her goals of having a family were being affected caused a pivotal mindset shift which has changed everything for her.  She decided to take action to lose the weight, but this time with a new level of commitment.  When she has difficult days, she focuses on her goal of losing weight, and the reasons for her goal.  Focusing on her compelling reason for losing the weight has kept her level of commitment strong.  She has now lost over 220 pounds, and continues to work on her weight loss.

Choose the Feeling of Commitment

For successful weight loss, the feeling you want to try on is the feeling of commitment.  Being committed goes beyond motivation, it means you do something even if you don’t want to.  It carries you through during times when you are tired, uninspired, and just plain don’t want to do it.  These times will come, they happen for all of us, so you need to plan for them.  When you are craving sugar, or are tempted by a plate of cookies at the office, the feeling of commitment is what you can focus on to get you through the tough times.

Are You Ready To Make Progress?

Once you decide that you want your life to be different, be honest with yourself about your level of commitment.  Progress is not an accident, it takes intentional thought work around the goal, deciding that you are dedicated and committed to that goal, and then taking action to get there.

If you are ready to take the next step and start making progress towards your weight loss goals, contact me for a free mini session to help you get started.

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