My Body Tutor : No More Excuses

Wow, I can’t believe it’s January.

The month of January is a very busy month for many of us – as many people are trying to hit the ground running.

Lots of meetings to meet at, people to see, meals to share, work to get done, dinners to dine, things to take care of and the list goes on.

You know how in the movies the volume gets louder and louder as the actor is thinking through her list of what needs to get done faster and faster, until finally, the persons head explodes because they’re so overwhelmed?

Well, it seems as though many of us feel like that because we just have so many things to do.

And we’ll wind up doing a majority, if not all, of the things we commit to do. WHY?

Well, because we’re very good at keeping our promises to OTHER people.

But when it comes to ourselves? Forget about it.

We all have great hopes for the day. For the week. And for the month. We start each day with promises that we intend on following through with.

Yet, statistically many of us aren’t going to.

So what can we do?

Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz in their book, The Power of Full Engagement, describe a study in which a group of women agreed to do a breast self-exam for a period of 30 days.

100% (yes, 100%!) who said when and where they were going to do it completed the 30 day exam. Only 53% of the others did.

In another study, drug addicts in withdrawal (can you find a more stressed out population? I also think some of us are food addicts so we can relate) agreed to write an essay before 5PM on a certain day.

80% of those who said when and where they’d write the essay completed it! In this case, NONE of the others did.

That’s pretty amazing.

If we want to get something done, decide when and where we’re going to do it. Otherwise, don’t expect to do it.

Tip: On your Daily Feedback tell us what time you intend on exercising and where (be as specific as possible). In fact, for any task that makes the outcome list write when and where you’ll do it.

Let’s go! (Right now, wherever you are)

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Arm yourself with daily and personal accountability, daily support along with a PROVEN system to monitor and track your progress. I’m so sure MBT will work for you (no matter your age, size or shape), we’re willing to put our money where our words are!

I hate resolutions!

Simply because resolutions are words. And more than 95% of people never actually follow through on their words. After all, it’s easy to talk and talk. It’s not so easy to take the right actions day after day.

Let’s take a closer look at the word ‘resolution’ anyway.

Resolution is derived from the word “re-solve”. (Oh man! My mom who is a former English teacher is loving this right now!)

And what does that mean? It means to solve again. And that’s exactly what happens – we try to solve the same problem again and again, year after year.

You know what I’m talking about. These are the people who lose and gain and lose and again instead of pushing through…

Here is why:

By nature, change is uncomfortable. Simply because it’s different from what we’re used to doing.

Of course, if change were so easy, we’d all do it.

And our natural tendency is to remove the discomfort. So we never push through it.

The temptation to quit is greatest right before the breakthroughs happen.

And that’s when the rationalizations start happening. Because we’re looking for a way to remove that discomfort.

(Yes, discomfort is the dirty, dirty word people avoid. It drives me crazy! I once saw an infomercial for an exercise thingy – and the person who, of course, has a model type body is selling us (the viewer) by shouting all excitedly, “It doesn’t evennnn feellll like I’m exercisinggggg!!!!”)

(Umm, that’s because you’re NOT!!!!!)

I know my work isn’t done on this planet until things like that don’t sell. Not because I don’t want the seller to succeed but because I want the buyer to. And what they’re selling is horse secretion.

Here is a post I wrote a while back about why I’ll probably never write a bestselling diet book — > click here.

ANYTHING IN LIFE WORTH HAVING TAKES EFFORT. AND FOR MANY EFFORT = DISCOMFORT

The discomfort of change. But because we want to remove that discomfort, we can’t blame it on ourselves. So instead, we blame it on our circumstances…

Maybe next year…

-I’ll have more free time

-My life will be more stable

-My kids will be more independent

-My boss won’t be such a jerk

-I’ll have more money

-The stars will align

We all know this is pure bull-secretion. There is always another reason to wait. The excuses will always be there. We gotta rationalize not pushing through the discomfort one way or another. We can rationalize about rationalizing!

Here is another way to look at it — > if we’re doing the same things we used to do, we’re not changing. And therefore, we won’t feel any discomfort.

Discomfort means we’re doing things DIFFERENTLY, and therefore we’re on the right track.

For example…

Typically, if there is a whole spread of cookies and all kinds of junk food in front of us, we’d dig right in.

The more comfortable thing to do in the moment would be to take a plate, and load up.

The more uncomfortable thing to do in the moment would be to laugh at it like Dr. Evil (click here to see what I mean), and walk away thinking, “Na, that’s not a part of my plan. It’s not going to help me to look OR feel better!”

In other words, discomfort IS our compass.

We can’t escape the discomfort we have to endure. I’m sorry, we can’t. Nor can we escape the day to day consistency we have to stick to – which isn’t sexy whatsoever – even though – it’s ridiculously effective!

And because it’s so easy to avoid the inevitable! (Yes, eventually, you’re going to have to be consistent and stick with something if you want lasting results…might as well make it a sensible eating and exercise plan, yes?)

THE MOST BIASED PERSON ON THE PLANET?

Probably not me. BUT, because I’ve seen how daily and personal accountability, along with daily support combined with a system to monitor and track our progress has worked for so many people of all ages, sizes and shapes throughout the world – I KNOW it makes all of the difference.

It makes the discomfort way more tolerable and dare I say — comfortable.

HOW TO ACHIEVE ANY GOAL IN 2012

So, whatever goal you decide to pursue in ‘12, make sure you have some sort of system of accountability, support and a way to monitor and track your progress.

Otherwise, you’re just hoping and wishing.

There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth. Not starting, and not going all the way.

And if we don’t have any accountability, support and a way to monitor and track our progress, for whatever goal we’re after, we’ll never be able to go all the way!

To a happy, healthy and fun New Year!

All my best to you, and the people you care about.

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This is one of the slooooooo-west weeks of the year – unless, of course, you sell champagne and party hats.

Naturally when everyone else slows down, so do we.

Most people don’t do much of anything this week (even if they’re “working”) except relax or vacation, eat left over holiday food and relive all the top stories of 2011 on TV or the Internet.

Already people are saying, “Well figure it out next week” or, “Let’s work on this in the New Year” or, “I’ll have so and so call you next week.”

I get it.

We all have to rest. All work and no rest makes for a very tired.

We all have things we want to change. BUT, at this point of the year, it’s so easy to give in to our short term, irrational mind.

Why?

We have THE most perfect excuse, ever.

“I will start on January 1st!”

It’s incredible, right?

No, I’m not saying we need to start taking action on ALL of our goals for the New Year right now. After all, I want to relive the top stories of 2011!

But telling myself, “I’ll start on January 1st.” is pure bull-secretion, unless…

I say that because when we wait until January 1st, the date itself becomes the agent of change. Instead of us!

Change happens when WE decide it’s going to happen. It happens in an instant. In a flash. It doesn’t care what day of the year it is.

And then…and then…it ONLY happens we fight like heck to make sure we have all of the tools and support necessary to back up that decision. Because if we don’t, our short term, irrational mind is going to be relentless in trying to fight our long term, rational mind at the first hint of discomfort.

Because after all, change is uncomfortable.

(Are you ready for a run-on sentence? I know I am!)

So, if we find ourselves watching (or reading) the top stories of 2010, and on the verge of ignoring our long term, rational mind, and not taking the action we really want to take – like going to the gym, or returning that gift, or cleaning that closet out – because we’ll just do it on “January 1st” — because we (want to) think we’ll become this “different” person — because of the date, let’s call bull-secretion.

And at least acknowledge that if we don’t change our actions, we can’t expect our outcomes to change either.

We’re better than that.

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Unfortunately, it really is just too easy to make excuses and rationalize our excuses without any support, and accountability. AND if you combine that with a proven system to monitor and track your progress – it’s guaranteed that you’ll reach your goals.

In fact, that IS why MyBodyTutor is 100% money-back guaranteed. Are we crazy? No, I just believe in the MBT program that much. Read more about our insane guarantee by clicking here.

For a few of us, it seems as though once it was officially the holiday season – our motivation officially started to fall.

I hear ya. BUT, I’m not so sure it’s our motivation as much as it is our environment.

Because in the face of GINORMOUS temptation, it’s easy to start questioning why we’re doing this. In the face of GINORMOUS temptation our motivation fades.

Hold up.

What is a temptation anyway?

My definition is very simple: A temptation is something – anything – that makes us think irrationally.

Our motivation fades because our rational and long term mind is asleep while our irrational and short term mind is W I D E awake.

But even so, even after all of my rational/irrational talk, what’s the point of this? Why bother?

I figure now (TEMPTATION) is as good a time (TEMPTATION) as ever to remind (TEMPTATION) you why because (TEMPTATION) there is temptation everywhere (TEMPTATION).

(See what I just did there?)

But first let’s start with the question, “Why?”

Why do you want to lose weight? Why do you want to get more fit? Why do you want to accomplish your professional goals? Why do you want to accomplish your personal goals? What is your goal in life?

When I ask people these questions, I get a lot of different answers.

Whatever your goal is, think about the answer to the next question: Why?

And then keep asking yourself why.

What’s so fascinating to me is that if we keep asking ourselves, “Why?” enough times, we’ll arrive at the same answer that most people do.

We’re all doing what we do because we believe it’ll ultimately make us happier.

I think the end goal of anything we do is: happiness. However, I think happiness is a very ambiguous term. Instead, I’m very interested in how I can become happier (and how I can help other people become happier).

Not that I’m unhappy. I’ve always been a happy person…

But why not be as happy as I possibly can be? Life is short.

We might as well be as happy as we possibly can be.

These questions and thoughts are what led me to write all of these posts.

So, here’s a question I’ve been noodling on, and it helps me a lot:

“Will this make me happier?”

But you have to be honest with yourself when you ask that to yourself.

Let’s explore a little:

I’m not saying I’m unhappy when I’m shoveling a burger and fries into my face. I’m not saying I’m unhappy when I’m eating ice cream. No. Not at all. That makes me happy.

At least, while I’m eating it.

I’m saying I’m happIER when I eat healthfully.

I’m not saying I’m unhappy when I’m lounging around watching TV. That’s fun!

I’m saying I’m happIER when I’m moving around and enjoying my fitness! That’s MORE fun!

I’m not saying I’m unhappy when I have a great meal and overeat because the food is just so tasty.

I’m saying I’m happIER when I leave the table feeling satisfied and not stuffed.

When are you happier if you’re really and truly honest with yourself?

And of course, our rational and long term mind knows the answers. The challenge is that in the face of temptation everywhere – we lose sight of what makes us happier because we’re thinking irrationally.

By asking yourself this question (“Will this make me happier?”) it helps you to think rationally, and that’s the key.

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“People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing. That’s why we recommend it daily.” – Zig Ziglar

MBT provides more than motivation daily — we provide relentless support, daily AND highly personal accountability, and most importantly, a system to monitor and track your progress. This is what makes ALL of the difference!

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