By
Dawn Marchant
In this article I'm going to show you how I've redefined success.
Then I'll explain how this new definition will help you to be more
successful in achieving your goals to improve your health and
well-being.
So what is your current definition of success in terms of your health? I suspect it will be along the lines of "Success means losing x pounds" or "Success is being able to run 5 miles" or maybe,
"Success is giving up chocolate for good". In each of these cases your definition of success is linked to achieving a final result or outcome and anything short of that is by definition not success but failure. The trouble with this is that until you reach that end result, consciously or subconsciously, you are thinking of yourself as a failure and what effect do you think that has on your motivation to keep going?
So what's my alternative definition of success? I consider success to be taking any action, how ever small, that takes me closer to reaching my goal. The type of successes described previously I define as achievement instead. So for example if my goal was to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, every time I ate a piece of fruit or some vegetables I would consider myself to be successful. If my target was to walk 3 miles 5 times a week, every time I went out for a walk, no matter how long, I would be successful.
Compare that with these thoughts that arise from only believing you're a success when you achieve your end goal. "I've only eaten a banana today and no veg at all. I really must do better tomorrow." "I've only managed to do a 10 minute walk each day this week and struggled to do that. How am I ever going to get up to 3 miles a day!" Eventually thoughts such as these will wear you down and probably lead to you giving up.
So any time I do something that promotes my health I consider that I am being successful right then in becoming healthy. Can you see the power of thinking that way? Now if you add in celebrating and rewarding these small actions as you go along, knowing that if you just keep moving forward you will achieve your ultimate goal, wouldn't this really help motivate you to keep taking action?
So what is your current definition of success in terms of your health? I suspect it will be along the lines of "Success means losing x pounds" or "Success is being able to run 5 miles" or maybe,
"Success is giving up chocolate for good". In each of these cases your definition of success is linked to achieving a final result or outcome and anything short of that is by definition not success but failure. The trouble with this is that until you reach that end result, consciously or subconsciously, you are thinking of yourself as a failure and what effect do you think that has on your motivation to keep going?
So what's my alternative definition of success? I consider success to be taking any action, how ever small, that takes me closer to reaching my goal. The type of successes described previously I define as achievement instead. So for example if my goal was to eat 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day, every time I ate a piece of fruit or some vegetables I would consider myself to be successful. If my target was to walk 3 miles 5 times a week, every time I went out for a walk, no matter how long, I would be successful.
Compare that with these thoughts that arise from only believing you're a success when you achieve your end goal. "I've only eaten a banana today and no veg at all. I really must do better tomorrow." "I've only managed to do a 10 minute walk each day this week and struggled to do that. How am I ever going to get up to 3 miles a day!" Eventually thoughts such as these will wear you down and probably lead to you giving up.
So any time I do something that promotes my health I consider that I am being successful right then in becoming healthy. Can you see the power of thinking that way? Now if you add in celebrating and rewarding these small actions as you go along, knowing that if you just keep moving forward you will achieve your ultimate goal, wouldn't this really help motivate you to keep taking action?
By the way do you want more information about getting healthy if
so download my brand new free eBook, Dawn's Top 7 Myths of Health and
Weight Loss here: http://www.healthyhabits4life.co.uk
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