I have a client who has wanted to commit to a Whole30 for years. But she just can’t find a 30-day period without travel, an event, or some other thing that would keep her from fully participating for the full month.
Sound familiar?
You want to do fill-in-the-blank healthy thing but something is keeping you from it?
You’re not alone. Sometimes it feels like there are so many obstacles that stand in the way of building the healthy habits that you know would help you to have the energy you need to do what is truly meaningful to you.
But here’s the thing – if you are truly committed to transforming from burned out to lit up, you’re going to have to overcome those obstacles.
That’s why coaching and community are CRITICAL to your success.
Here are three common obstacles that stand between you and your goals – and tips for tackling them.
Obstacle #1: All-or-nothing mentality
Overcome the obstacle by focusing on what is better instead of being turned off that you can’t do what is best.
Take the example of my client who won’t commit to a Whole30. Could she do three sets of Whole10s? Yes. She could. Could she do a Whole25? Yup. Would it have less of the desired effect? Of course. Would it still be better than where she is at now? Definitely.
She’s missing out on what is better because she isn’t able to do what is best.
When you are setting a goal, take small, incremental steps towards what is better than what you are doing now.
Consistently getting better is way more effective in the long run than focusing on (and falling short of) what is “best.”
Questions for reflection:
- As you look at your goals, in what ways have you taken an all-or-nothing approach? How has that impacted your motivation and your adherence?
- Take each one of your goals and break it down into smaller parts. What are the components of each goal? How can each goal be set in a more incremental way?
Obstacle #2: Unsupportive beliefs
Overcome this obstacle by evaluating your beliefs and choosing beliefs that are aligned.
Your beliefs are the foundation of your thoughts, feelings, and actions. If you believe something that contradicts what you are trying to accomplish, you will fail.
This is how self-sabotage works. You consciously want something, but your subconscious beliefs conflict with what you consciously want.
For example…
If you want to be healthy and fit, but you actually believe that healthy people are not any fun, that will stop you from developing healthy behaviors. Who wants to not be any fun?!
If you want to be financially secure, but you actually believe that financially secure people are dishonest and selfish, that will stop you from adopting financially responsible behaviors.
Questions for reflection:
- Consider your goals. What are the things that you believe about people who achieve goals like these, or whose identities are so consistent with those outcomes that they just live them, they don’t have to set goals around them?
- Do your beliefs align with your goals? If not, in what ways do your beliefs contradict your goals? If not, what is a supportive belief that you are committed to adopting?
Obstacle #3: Unsupportive environment
Overcome this obstacle by creating an environment that supports your goal achievement, making it convenient for you to do the things that support your goal achievement, and getting the social support vital to your success.
We become what our environment supports.
Studies show that there are two factors that most influence goal-achievement:
1 – Convenience and accessibility.
For example, if you’ve decided to only eat sweets on celebratory occasions, but there’s ice cream just hanging out in your freezer available to you whenever you want it, you’ve set yourself up to fail.
Let’s be clear: I don’t have anything against eating ice cream.
BUT if your goal is to not snack on sweets, you need to set yourself up for success by not having those temptations in your everyday environment.
2 – Social support.
This applies to any change you’re working on making: success requires social support.
This is why every program we offer has one-on-one coaching and access to a supportive and uplifting community. We lovingly hold each other accountable and encourage each other to keep going when change gets tough (and it always does!)
As humans, we become what our social network approves of. Hack this human instinct by surrounding yourself with people who support the you that you want to be.
And one last thing…the opposite is true too: if you have someone in your circle who actively does not support your creating and maintaining a healthy habit, that’s a tough obstacle to overcome. Create boundaries around that time and your efforts. Find people who will and do support you. And consider whether you need that kind of negativity in your life at all.
Questions for reflection:
- What elements of your environment will you adjust to align with your goals?
- What specifically do you need from someone to encourage you as you pursue a goal? What are the things that you don’t need or don’t want from your people?
- How deep is your desire to achieve your goal?
If you’re committed to overcoming exhaustion, beating burnout, and getting the energy you need to live your purpose, let’s talk.
Coaching and community will make all the difference for you!
