By Valerie Solomon, Busy Mom Gets Fit
One of the biggest hurdles I see in keeping women from taking action towards a goal we have is the self belief that we will quit… that we lack the discipline to stick to the process.
We’ve started and quit before, so now we label ourselves a quitter. We feel bad. We feel embarrassed. We feel stuck.
Those feelings lead to more lack of action. Now we’ve formed a mindset that we don’t have the necessary discipline to reach our goals.
How do we get more discipline?
This is where I give you 6 steps to develop more self-discipline…
NOT.
“Discipline” is probably my least favorite word. It just feels negative. It’s forcing ourselves or someone to behave in a way we really aren’t driven to naturally.
If we could just force ourselves to do XYZ, we’d reach our goal, right?
It might work for a day or two, but there’s a better way to make lasting change with a slight mindset shift: Focusing on your deeper motivation for why you want the goal.
Here’s How to Reach Your Goals When you Lack Discipline:
1. Give yourself grace for any quitting you’ve done in the past.
It doesn’t define you. Repeat after me, “I will stop calling myself a quitter.”
2. Realize that discipline is an illusion.
While discipline is a common term thrown around to motivate or encourage action, it doesn’t actually exist. If discipline is pushing yourself to do something you don’t want to do, or pushing yourself to stay consistent and you struggle to do that… What skill do you need to develop? There is no skill. You are not lacking a skill or some elite gene that others have and you do not.
3. Focus on WHY you want to reach your goal and your deeper motivation.
Why do you want to lose weight? Why do you want to be stronger? Why do you want to exercise?
Is it just to look good? That likely won’t keep you consistent for life.
Is it because you want to age well, have mobility to live a long healthy life, to get healthier, to show up as your best self??? Now these things, when you really connect with them, can help you stay consistent long term.
4. Set your standards.
Now that you have thought about why you want what you want, visualize yourself as having reached that and living that lifestyle. You are fit. You are healthy. You are vibrant. How to fit, healthy, vibrant people… YOU…. show up everyday for themselves? They get in the workout.. they eat well… not because of discipline, but because of standards, a deeper motivation, and because they want to.
5. Find a support team.
Work with a coach, join a fitness group, align with healthy minded people.
You don’t need more discipline, you just need to remember why you want it and live into that.
You won’t be perfect. None of us are. But you can learn to live healthy and be an example for those that you love.