4 Lies Keeping You From Reaching Your Goals

…”LATER”

… “I’M NOT SURE.”

…”I NEED TO LOOK AT MY SCHEDULE.”

…”IT’S EXPENSIVE.”

I’ve heard these things over and over again in the last few weeks. We’re coming off January at a gym so, as you can probably imagine, we get a few more inquiries than normal this time of year.

Between the fresh start of 2019 and all kinds of fitness and nutrition chatter comin’ at you from your friends, you feel like you gotta change. Your neighbor is posting about her Whole 30 journey, a coworker checks in at her new gym every morning and you’ve seen a few friends patting themselves on the back after turning down alcohol at social outings.

You should get healthier, you told yourself. It would do you some good to get in shape again even though you’re terrified to start. You know what? You might even want to change more than you like eating a sleeve of Girl Scout cookies and drinking a bottle of wine most nights. So you took the first step. You reached out to a few gyms. You even visited one and tried a free class. Great! Go you!

Researching feels productive, doesn’t it? Of course you’re taking action… you’re looking for a way to get healthier, you just haven’t found the perfect solution yet. You will, though, right?

Maybe, maybe not. But what I know is this. You’re going to have to make a decision if you really wanna change.  Researching perfect solutions and quick fixes feels productive, but it’s truly not.

Now that February is here (and flying by!), where are you at? Have you gone past step one and made a decision? Have you moved beyond the should stage and made a commitment to yourself to try something for a solid 12 weeks or more? Or are you simply still procrastinating by looking for the perfect way to get in shape as quickly as possible?

If not, it’s time to decide if you are series about making your health a priority. Are you ready, willing AND able to make your new healthy habit happen or are you buying time with one of the excuses below?

{Side note: I’m giving some examples based on our gym, but this applies to any healthy habit, home workout, commitment to a number of steps, etc. Most of these even apply to other life decisions you might be putting off too.}

Let’s start with LATER.

If you can’t tell me exactly when you will start, if not now, I can pretty much guarantee later isn’t coming. Unless you have some sort of wake up call (health scare, comment from a friend, seeing the number on the scale, etc.), you’ll always be waiting. Later means you’re putting yourself and your health on the back burner in your own life.

Life doesn’t get less busy. It just gets different busy. Commit now, start slow and nail at least one healthy habit. Then go from there.

Next up: I’M NOT SURE.

I’d also file “I’m researching my options” under this one as well.  See above. You are procrastinating because this is one of those things you’ll never be sure about unless you give something a try for a good amount of time and decide if you like it and it works for you.

You can research until you are blue in the face or you can make a decision, try something and see how it goes. Most of us know when we find something good, but many of us (myself included – I suck at decision making sometimes!) are scared of commitment so we keep looking. And looking. And looking. Fake action can feel like action, but it’s not. Decide.

Then: I NEED TO LOOK AT MY SCHEDULE.

My general response to this objection is “okay, when are you looking to train?” Most people don’t actually have an answer for this question.

For example, we have classes starting at 5:00am and ending at 7:30pm at night. There are generally a few classes that can fit into even the busiest of schedules. If you want it. If you’re ready. And if you’re willing to make it work.

If you’re looking for a class, personal training session or special hours at a gym, that is one thing, but if you’re looking for this perfect little hole in your schedule where you can fit in a workout and a shower, you’ll be waiting a long time. Time doesn’t appear. You have to make it.

Remember, sometimes you have to choose to say no to something(s) good in order to make room for something great that’s a priority for you right now.

Lastly: IT’S EXPENSIVE.

I guess $150-$200/month is expensive in relation to $20/month. Or to $0/month.

But, let me ask you this. What will you spend on dinner out with your spouse or family this weekend? How much money do you spend on coffee at Starbucks each week? How many times did you go to the local deli or out to lunch in the last month? Do you drink? These things are all “expensive” too, ya’ll.

Look, I’m not one to tell you to give up dates with your spouse, coffee at ‘Bux or wine. What I am saying is to look at where you spend your money. That will give you a pretty good idea of your priorities. If you can afford to do it all, great. Go you. If you have to cut out something for awhile, that’s a part of life. You actually have to GET TO choose where you spend your time and money.

If fitness isn’t a priority to you that’s why you haven’t decided on (and acted on) the healthy habits you promised yourself you would for 2019, I urge you to make a decision. Start now. Start small if you have to and then add on from there. Just please, stop lying to yourself that you’e taking action when really you are procrastinating and staying scared.