We don’t set goals without the intention of sticking to them. But unfortunately, our stamina and willpower often fades over time.
So what is the secret sauce? How can you make your goals “stick” so to say?
It is all about your WHY. The crucial ingredient to commitment and motivation is truly and deeply identifying your why.
This requires some self-reflection and a good dose of honesty, but it is the element that you can always come back to when you feel that commitment wavering. It is like the foundation stone to a goal…the first stone that must be laid before you can go about achieving anything.
Recently I had the power of understanding your WHY hammered home to me.
I decided a couple of weeks back that I was going to commit to my physical health and well-being by doing Yoga at least twice a week.
I have always been hit and miss when it comes to my commitment to working out. I’ve been incredibly blessed to not yet have struggled with my weight. I’m naturally petite and after having children, I’m as low weight wise as I’ve ever been. So attempting to commit to a goal of working out to lose weight (which appears to be the driver for many) has never worked for me as a motivator.
Yes, I’ve always known that working out is good for my health. We all know that. But the reality of declining health never seemed close enough or real enough to me to drive any real level of commitment. We’re typically mildly self-righteous and believe we’re untouchable (and maybe even invincible) in our 20’s.
But I’m 33 now, and recognize that my body is starting to change a little. Then I recently went home and visited my mum.She is in her mid 70’s and has major issues with her musculoskeletal system. Her bones and body continually ache, and her movement is now restricted. It hurts, and it stops her from doing things, and in short, it sucks. And I know I am predisposed to similar issues. I have had lower back issues since I was 13, which is young for anyone to start having back issues.
Visiting my Mum really bought “My Health” up in the list of my priorities. It helped me recognize that it’s time to get my butt into gear if I am going to reap the rewards later in life. The reason to start investing in my “health” bank account became very real and personal. I identified my driving WHY.
And for us to stick to a goal, the WHY needs to be REAL and PERSONAL. It needs to hit a nerve or get us fired up in our belly.
So after identifying my why, I decided I was going to commit to a regular Yoga routine to deal with the “how” element of my goal. Yoga is something I enjoy, and thought was a realistic place to start with my fitness goals. Over the weekend I decided that I would join a local Yoga studio and commit to going at least twice a week. And I said I would start Monday.
Then this Monday came around. As I sat at my desk to work I started making every excuse as to why I would put off going to Yoga till later in the week. I was in full blown procrastination mode. I was telling myself things like – “I have a lot to do”, “taking time out during a workday is self-indulgent” and “missing one day wouldn’t matter in the grand scheme of things.”. My mind was looking for every reason NOT to start.
This is exactly when my WHY was put to work. I came right back to why I was wanting to commit to Yoga weekly – to protect my future health – and immediately got off my ass and went to the class. It no longer felt self indulgent, but a necessity
My WHY was bigger than my procrastination and laziness … simple as that.
So if you have goals that you really want to achieve, but feel yourself lacking in the commitment or motivation stakes, I encourage you to come back and really assess your WHY. Once you have that in order, you can always come back to it and use it to push you forward on the days where it all feels too hard. Once your why is big enough … you’ll get your butt up and going towards your goal.
Hi. I’m Kate Snowise and Thrive.How is my business-baby. I’m a Life & Executive Coach who helps people who want the good stuff out of life, get it. I’m passionate about helping people wake-up and start living on purpose. I have an MSc in Psychology (the happy kind of psychology that concentrates on what is right with you). I offer individual coaching that specifically helps people clarify their thinking, reconnect with their spirits, grow into their potential and re-gain balance. Click here to learn more.
To download a copy of my free mini-guide – 8 Tips Towards Creating a Thriving Life – click here.