This week has been met with a flurry of questions about the ability to reach goals. Why, when given specific directions to follow, can a person fail to make positive changes in their life? If there is a plan of action in place, what causes people to inevitably fall of the wagon?
To be honest, mental state and true readiness to change are more important than having a plan in place. I can recommend certain foods and even map it out for you, but unless you are focused and ready to tackle these changes, success is often out of reach. This is an important topic to cover, but not my focus today.
What I have noticed is that there are a few big underlying reasons why people don’t succeed with their health and wellness goals. Call it self-sabotage if you want, but I think that’s too harsh. I would consider it more of a comedy of errors. Here’s what I’ve witnessed:
1. The plan isn’t good enough. Just because you have a plan doesn’t mean it’s the right one for you. Cookie-cutter eating programs leave out one crucial detail: not everyone lives and learns the same way. Life moves and changes. If something worked before but no longer does, don’t be afraid to adjust as necessary. Remember, you can change the plan but not the goal! Read more about finding a plan that works for you.
2. You’re thinking too big. It is easy to get overwhelmed thinking about your long-term goals if you have a long way to go to reach them. Instead, focus on the concrete things you can do to build good habits each and every day. You will feel accomplished reaching these mini goals and will be on your way to long-term success in the process. Read more about developing small, concrete mini-goals.
3. Your priorities are out of whack. It’s easy for me to say that your health should be a high-ranking priority. Unfortunately, we have so many responsibilities this day and age that spread us thin. It’s impossible to have every single aspect of your life under control at any given time. You only have so much focus and attention. Be vigilant when your healthy habits start to slip and add in extra focus any chance you get.
