We live in a fast-paced world. There are so many things to do and get done.
I recently gave 22 people attending one of my seminars some "homework" to do before the session the following week. Eight had completed it.
These were people who wanted to be at the seminar and who wanted to improve their life.
When asked "Why?" they had failed to complete it, the answers included:
"I didn't have enough time"
"I had a really busy week"
"I forgot all about it" - at least they were honest!
This lead us into a discussion on why people don't do what they know they should be doing. Things like:
- making that phone call to a potential client,
- exercising,
- eating healthy meals,
- getting a medical check-up or some health
- problem checked out,
- improving some part of your life,
- quitting a bad habit,
- leaving a failed relationship,
- quitting a bad job,
- telling someone how you feel.
So, why don't people do what they know they should?
To explain, let us go back to some basics.
When you have something to do, there is both a positive feeling to doing it and a negative. As your programming begins from day 1, your mind instantly adds all the positives and negatives accumulated over the entire of your life and gives you a net feeling. Where the positives outweigh the negatives, there is a great chance you will do what you planned, whereas, if the negatives outweigh the positives, you won't.
For example, you know you should exercise daily but you don't. If you know you should and you haven't, why haven't you?
While you fail to exercise, there is a bigger need not to exercise than what there is to exercise. Your mind has come up with lots of great reasons as to why you should avoid it. Reasons like:
"I'm too tired"
"It's too cold"
"I don't have the time"
"I never feel or see any improvement"
Thoughts like these hold you back. They sabotage what you would like to achieve.
The Solution
When you know you should be doing something, either:
• increase the need to do it,
• eliminate the negatives against doing it,
• or both.
In our example, increasing the need to exercise by focusing on the benefits of exercising. It helps tone muscles, increases fitness, burns energy (and fat), releases good feel chemicals and is good for stress release to name a few.
Quite often, if you make the need great enough, you will do it.
If this fails to work ...
Identify and eliminate the negatives (as listed above).
"I'm too tired" - this often occurs because you fail to exercise. Exercise helps you to have more energy.
"It's too cold" - hardest part here is getting changed. Once you begin your program, you will feel great. Push past the negative knowing there will be a positive to follow.
"I don't have the time" - if health and fitness is important, you will make the time. Grab your diary and make an appointment with yourself for 5 days a week to exercise. This is your time. Being fitter and healthier will mean you are more productive at work.
"I never feel or see any improvement" - if this is the case, research why. You may need to consult with a professional in the health and fitness area to find the answer. Remember, they work with people every day who have trouble achieving the desired result so they know what works and what doesn't.
While I have related the above example to exercise, you can relate it to any area where you are not achieving or creating action.
What's stopping you from ringing that client, eating healthy meals, exercising, giving up that bad habit, telling someone how you feel, quitting that bad job or relationship or improving some part of your life?
When a part of you knows you should create the action that is in your best interest, make it a priority, build the positives and, if that fails, identify and eliminate the negatives. Through doing this, you are taking control.
If you are not sure on how to do this, please feel free to contact us and we can guide you through it.
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