a new year!!

HERE WE ARE AGAIN at the start of a new year! How cool is that! 

I remember hearing a couple of friends recently debating the worth of making goals at the start of each year. One was saying that people that want to achieve something should go ahead and start working towards achieving it immediately as opposed to waiting until Jan 1st to start doing something. The other was proclaiming the benefits of having a set time to work within for achieving those goals.

For me I think there is no debate - it's great to have both. When I identify something that needs work (which happens quite often for me), I usually start working on it straight away if it isn't too big. For the bigger vision and dream kind of goals I like having the time frame of 1 year, 3 years or even 7 years so I can track progress over that time.


This came to mind because this past week I have seen SOOOOO many more people running in the morning past our house. I think it is awesome that so many more people have made the effort to get out there and do something. They are full on into them for the first couple of weeks - what I find sad is that come end of January I don't see them anymore...

I wonder what it is about human nature that makes it so difficult for us to change behaviour? They say you need to do something for at least 21 days before it becomes a habit. That's 3 weeks of sticking to something religiously every day and that is tough for anyone. It takes self discipline, a clear goal, a vision of the outcome, and alot of effort.

BUT IT CAN BE DONE!!

From what I have found with the people I train, most of us just need someone to hold us accountable to what we have said we will do. They need to be firm but fair. They need to be your friend but at the same time need to keep that distance so that you will still respect and follow their advice. So perhaps one way to improve your chances of achieving your goal is to tell everyone you know - but more particularly those whom you know will support you in your goal and provide a level of accountability for you.

I wish you all the best this year in achieving your goals whatever they may be - go forward with faith for we will never know what we can achieve nor what our full potential is until we exercise faith. That is, until we have faith enough to take those few steps into the dark outside of our comfort zones. Enjoy the journey and take someone with you along the way that can keep you accountable!!

scales vs look - what is the outcome you really want??

I was working with some clients this morning and in talking to one of them we ended up discussing about weight and appearance.

His goal was to lose a bit of fat around the stomach area and he mentioned that although he has not been on the scales in a while, he has had comments from people that he looks slimmer and has had further testament from the fact that a pair of jeans he could NOT fit a year ago now fit again!

I guess the question here is does it really matter what number you are on the scales? I mean do you really take your scales with you and show others what you weigh when you want to show them how much you have achieved? 

Probably not... unless you have some kind of pocket sized scales set.... It is probably more likely that your friends and family will notice first and say to you that you look like you have lost weight. Isn't this a better outcome than telling them the new number that you weigh.

I try to help my clients focus on the outcome they really want. I ask them if it is the number on the scales they want or the comments from others that notice how great you look. ALL want to hear it from someone else that they are looking better!

I guess one thing that is really cool about looking good is that you then start to feel good.

Most of the time your friends and family can tell; in the way you present yourself, in the way your face glows or in the way you seem to ooze confidence. That's what I've found to be the real outcome that people want. They want to feel confident around others because they realise that the more confidence they have the more they can do - it's all about believing in yourself and what you can do.

Most have heard this quote before:

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."

I suppose this post then brings up the question - why do so many of us really care so much about what other people think of us? I was talking to a friend about that yesterday actually on the way home from Otaki but that's a whole new blog all on its own!!