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Question: I feel that I must be the only one who can’t seem to stay on track with this
“baby step” stuff you keep asking us to follow. It seems I can do well for two weeks, and
then something happens and my training all goes to kaput. I don’t even bother setting a goal
anymore because I know I’ll never follow through, so why set myself up for disappointment and
failure? Do you have a group for those that don’t catch on quickly? You know, like a
“dummy” or “flunkee” class for those of us who just don’t seem to get it? How is it that you went from 275 pounds and then one day—poof!—you lost more than 100 pounds? I don’t get it? Help me.
Answers: Yes, there is a “dummy” of “flunkee” class, but it’s
called showing up every day and putting your best foot forward. I assure you that all of us have our flunkee-dummy periods. When the student is ready, the teacher appears. Please remember that went along with any of it. Each day I make choices for my life. Some of my choices get me to where I want to be quicker, and other choices I make might take me further away from where I say I want to be.
There have been many times when I also felt like I just didn’t get it. I started with the 10 steps in Make the Connection. I didn’t even try to manage all 10 steps at once. I selected one step out of the 10 that I thought I could do for one day. Just one step, for one day. I kept focusing on that one step for at least one week, and when I felt like I had a handle on that one step, I would pick out another step to focus on.
This approach can apply to any part of our lives. I can easily get overwhelmed if I think I have to
solve weighty matters overnight. However, when I break down all of my tasks into bite-size pieces and remember to breathe, it all gets done.
I often get letters from people comparing their schedule with mine as if they want me to write them an “excuse note” or say to them, “OK, you win, you’re busier than I am.” And plenty of people are a lot busier than I am. It’s not a contest! We all make choices as to how we fill our days.
I encourage you to set a small goal so you can feel good about yourself and your accomplishments.
The key is to set a very, very small goal. If you’re not doing any form of exercise right now, then why set a goal that says you’re going to work out everyday this week? That’s totally unrealistic.
How about setting a small goal that says you’re going to walk one day this week? Start small and build from there. When you experience small successes you’ll want a taste of more success, and then you’ll have the self-confidence to set another goal because you have succeeded at the one you set before. Make sure the goal is a bite-size goal, and be sure to chew it thoroughly before taking the next bite!
I know if I can do this, so can anyone else. We just need to make sure we’re not taking on too
much and getting overwhelmed and frustrated! You have everything within you to be successful,
just keep peeling away those layers and believe in
yourself!
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