by Kris Pitcher
We have an expectation that our fitness pursuits are
perfect. Our idea is we either succeed, or we fail. The underlying myth is that
success is a linear process. The truth is, the path is not a straight line at
all.
How is it some people excel, or succeed, while others
“fail”? It’s all in how we perceive challenges. We will always have challenges.
There will be competition for our time. We’ll have celebrations to navigate. We
will have changing priorities, and may face injury or illness.
The secret lies in either seeing challenges as dead-end
roadblocks, or as issues we work around and overcome. This is resiliency. It’s
our ability to problem solve as we come across challenges. There’s no “failure”
when your path takes a turn. The idea is, stay on the path.
We are constantly re calibrating in our professional lives.
We adjust budgets, we juggle projects, and we prioritize goals. Treating our
fitness pursuits in the same way, as we face challenges, makes sense. I call it
hitting “reset”.
People who are successful in their pursuits, practice them.
Daily. And when faced with challenges, re calibrate, or reset. There will be
times when another aspect of our lives must take priority. It’s our ability to
come back to it, get back on our path, that leads to long-term success.
The truth is, the path winds, it twists and it turns. It
goes up hill, and downhill, and sometimes we can’t see around the next corner.
Our ability to reset, to re prioritize, and re calibrate is what keeps us moving
forward.
Maybe the holidays didn’t go as planned. Perhaps you had to
deal with an injury, or maybe you had family issues which took priority. These
things happen…to all of us. The difference for those who find success is
hitting that reset, and getting or staying on their path.
How do you do that? I believe strongly in aligning my values
with my goals. When I value my health, I make it a priority to do the things
necessary to improve my health and quality of life. Then as I align my actions
with those values and goals, I’m at ease with my decisions. There’s no internal
conflict.
Some days we reset, or recommit, multiple times. Other times
we have a good run of a month or so.
There’s no “magic”, there’s just
re calibration, realignment, and hitting that reset within yourself.
Now is as good a time as January 1st. There is no
special time to place focus on your efforts. In my 25 years of successful
personal weight management my mantra has been, “You only have to do weight
management as long as you want it to work.”
There’s no rush. We’re going to work on this for the
long-term. Incorporating new habits takes time, and practice. Those of us who
are good at it do it. We practice it every day. We stay connected to it through
our values and goals. Then we align our actions.
The path is not a straight line, results are not linear. And
when you get to your “goal”, you’ll set new goals. There’s no going backward on
your path, or returning to your starting point. What you’re looking for is in
front of you.
Set aside your expectations, your myths, and your pride in
being perfect…it’s time to hit reset and get back on your path to exercise
success!
