Failure and Commitment
As the New Year rolls in and we are busily working hard not to forget the resolutions made last month, I am reminded of one important reason why so many things we try to do fail. Most often we fail, not because we don’t want something badly enough, although that is sometimes part of it. Often it’s because we fail to allocate enough resources to do the job–resources in the form of time, money, and expertise.
Let’s look at the most common resolution, “Weight Loss”. It’s so easy to sign up for a gym membership (LA Fitness has a great promo right now, if you are interested). But it’s not so easy to schedule the time to go and get your much needed exercise. It’s very easy to schedule an appointment with your personal trainer to get an evaluation, but not so easy to put in the time to make those changes. The same is true for the diet book you bought–maybe read– but never put to use in a meaningful way.
Most people don’t realize when they write down a resolution just what would really go into making that “wish” into a reality. I see this all the time with clients. They are only willing to work out if it’s convenient or try eating healthier if they don’t have to give anything up. That wishy-washy kind of commitment sends a message to your unconscious mind that you really aren’t that serious. Just like telling your child to stop doing something bad and not really meaning it, your unconscious mind knows that any roadblocks will knock you off course, so it may as well find them now and save you the trouble of doing it later.
It’s never convenient and, yes, you will have to give some things up if you want to create something amazing. But if you really want something, it’s usually not as hard as you think and the rewards can change your life forever.
Think of a resolution, like losing weight, as being like a new project you were put in charge of at work. Just like a work project you need to allocate resources such as time (five hours per week to work out), money, (allocate an amount for things like a gym membership or to use a food program like Medifast, or for a Weight Watchers), and expertise–finding out which experts (like a nutritionist) you will consult to make your vision a reality. These will all take money and also time, and you will need to decide how much you are ready, willing, and able to commit.
The reality is that to succeed at overcoming a challenge, you really need to overwhelm it with solutions. Expect things to cost more, take more time, and require more resources in general than you think they might and commit to doing whatever it takes to make that happen. By doing this you take the hesitation of “I’m not sure: this is hard” out of the situation and tell yourself on both a conscious and unconscious level that you really mean business.
The good news is change is possible and it starts with loving yourself enough to do what you have to do to be the healthiest version of yourself. Make this the year you make that change–you are worth it.
Jill Thomas CCHT
Healthy Habits Hypnosis
760-803-2841
www.healthyhabitshypnosis.com
Author of the book “Feed Your Real Hunger; getting off the emotional treadmill that keeps you overweight”