Be the Tortoise
The Tortoise and the Hare is one of my favorite fables and I truly believe that 'slow and steady' is the best approach to health and fitness. I see too many people hit it too hard at the beginning and then burn themselves out, but it's those *quietly consistent* ones who reach their goals.
Why is consistency over time such an uninspiring concept when it is one of the most important elements of a true lifestyle change…hmmm, makes me wonder? How can you reframe consistency from boring and vanilla to the means to your most outrageous goals? That’s what I’m saying consistency is the means to your most outrageous, audacious, & soul-nourishing goals!
Here are some thoughts on why slow and steady is the surest, most direct path to achieving your health and fitness goals:
We tend to significantly over-estimate what we can accomplish in a month, while under-estimating what we can accomplish in a year. Instead of giving your all for a month and then giving up because you haven’t achieved the results you want, think about the results you would have if you gave 80% for a year. A year at 80% effort toward your goals can be *transformational and manageable*.
You don’t need to hold yourself to a standard that is near impossible to maintain (because then it's near impossible to maintain!), make it *easy* on yourself and you will be able to stick with it for the long haul.
Consistency builds on itself. If you choose to focus on running, for instance, and you do it consistently, you will condition your body to be better at running. Over time, you will get faster and it will get easier and more enjoyable. That’s all kinds of awesome.
Consistency translates into habit. Habits do not require willpower. Habits are no-brainers. This is good!
Remember that perfect compliance is not your goal…doesn’t that sound horrible, “perfect compliance”?? Your goal is to move yourself in the direction of the values & ideals you hold for yourself and your life.
With every choice and every decision that you make, you are moving yourself either closer or farther away from your goals. It’s *totally okay* to make occasional decisions that are not moving you closer, but you've got to tip the balance in your favor to get where you want to go...slow and steady.
What are your thoughts on consistency? How can you reframe any negative thoughts into a “big aha!” for yourself?
