If it’s important to you, you will find a way

August 14th, 2015 by

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People will generally DO what they truly WANT to do. This is a pretty hard statement to argue with. So when I find myself in a conversation with someone and I get inundated with all of these excuses of why he/she can’t do this or that or has no time, life is so busy, I have kids, etc., I quietly conclude to myself that this really isn’t what you WANT to do.

Now they may want the RESULTS of the work (who doesn’t?), but the actual work? Not quite as much. Wanting something is the easy part; but earning it is where the reward really is.

People DO what they WANT to do. If you want to get in shape (for example), if you REALLY want to, then you’ll find a way. You just will.

I often read people saying how bad they want to get in shape, lose fat, make progress, etc. They tell me how important it is to them, but then their behaviours/choices don’t line up at all with these statements. I always say that your behaviours/actions/choices will either support your claim or refute your claim. It doesn’t matter what you say; it matters what you do.

So do you want to get in better shape (or whatever your goal to achieve may be)? If that is really true, your daily choices need to support that claim/goal. Get out there and do it!

Don’t set your goals high if you’re not equally prepared to set your standards for yourself even higher.

Partially theoretical case in point:

Person 1:
Obstacles listed include having had a second child about a year ago, “crazy work hours”, 4 hours of sleep a night and each meal cannot take longer than 5 minutes to make as the individual does not have even 20 minutes to cook or make anything at any point in the day and the spouse is gone four evenings/week. There are more, but that’s enough for the point.

I have been told all of this before writing a program. Now I think it’s important to share relevant variables with your coach of course, as this is important information, but we’ve not even started and I’m already been told everything that cannot be done due to a lack of time.

Person 2:
This is taken directly from a biweekly:

“We have this Defeat The Fat program at work (lots of my co-workers are in it), and it’s just a big pity party. Excuses, Excuses – I’m too busy. I have PCOS. My job is stressful. Yadda Yadda. Well, I am a 39-year old mother of two, and wife to one wink emoticon My kids are 9 and 12 and very very busy with tennis, baseball, dance and cross country. I also have a demanding (but rewarding) job that I show up to every day, 40+ hours a week. I serve on the board for our club, my husband and I are finishing our basement by ourselves and on top of that, I am in Grad School working on my MBA. My point is, your program is very easy to follow, and something anyone can do. Either you want it or you don’t and fortunately I have found it very easy to follow and maintain within my hectic life. Thanks again!”

See where I am going? We have two very different “attitudes” about two fitness journeys here. As Coach Ileen has been known to say, “ya gotta wanna”.

If deep down, you really want to get in shape, nothing is going to stop you, because your daily choices and behaviours will support that desire to get in shape and you will. Period.

But we can all tell if you’re serious or not about wanting to get in shape just by watching how you eat on a daily basis. Don’t tell me (or anyone) how important making progress is if you’re not committed to doing what it takes.