FINDING A WAY IN or FINDING A WAY OUT?

There are two different mindsets—the one that will look for a way in and the one that always finds a way out. Which one are you?

It’s easy to find excuses. If we want them, they are always there for us to feed the beast. It’s the “comfort” monster on our shoulder, telling us we don’t need to, saying it’s OK to be lazy, saying it’s easier for other people, or “I’ll do it tomorrow.” It’s a trap, and once we start listening to it, we stop trusting ourselves. We start to believe we are the person that fails. That’s just who we are, and it’s not our fault. We blame , we self sabotage and we move further and further from who we want to be , one bad decision at a time .

Conversely, the mindset of “a way in” always finds a way. It is constructive and positive. It understands that situations are never ideal, that we may need to adapt to get something productive done. It has a “non-negotiable” outlook and tells itself, “I am doing this because this is the kind of person who…” It’s a winning mentality—not because you are gaining a trophy, but because you are building self-respect.

The way we act consistently affects how we behave. The country artist Jelly Roll, who has undergone a dramatic 200 lb weight loss, recently said: “I could tell my body ‘today’s the day,’ but it knew I was lying because I’d lied so many times before. It had no reason to believe in me. I had no reason to believe in myself.” Only through reps can the mind be convinced otherwise. Only by countering the negative of what has been before with the positive of now and tomorrow can we turn that corner and paint a new vision of ourselves.

We are consistently giving our bodies information… we are constantly sending signals. If we commit and see it through, we are sending a message that we mean the things we say. If we don’t, we are the pretender. In the end, we are defined not by our words, but by our actions.

And we are not one or the other. Many times, I have failed at this. I’ve fallen short of many promises I have made to myself and hated myself for it. But when I hit the mark, when I follow through, and when I finish what I start… it’s a strong and addictive feeling of success.

So ask yourself, in the fitness journey you are now on: are you finding a way in or looking for a way out? Do you believe in you? Are you stacking up the proof that makes it undeniable? The 3-month “New Year’s drop-off” is just around the corner. Those that never really meant it will leave; those that are true to their convictions will stay. I know which person I would rather be—how about you?