If only I had more self-discipline...
Have you ever thought to yourself, “If only I had more self-discipline, I’d be able to get in the best shape of my life”?
If so, you’re not alone. We hear from people every day who attribute their inability to get in shape to a lack of self-discipline. Well, over the years I’ve come to view “self-discipline” in a very different way.
What if I insisted that successful people have no more self-discipline than unsuccessful people? Or that “fit” people have no more self-discipline than “unfit” people? What if I insisted that YOU are a self-disciplined person right NOW? So am I. So is everyone reading this blog. Would that make sense? Or, are you reading this thinking “this kinetix founder is nuts…”. Before you answer that…hear me out.
I’ve observed that each and every one of us is 100% self disciplined…to our current “habits”. We ALL have habits that we follow each day. We have habits for how we start our day, how we work, how we eat, and how we treat other people. And, the only thing that makes a habit good or bad is whether it pushes us closer or further away from our goals.
Over the past decade, I’ve had the pleasure of coaching countless people from unfit to fit. Each of these people earned their success by developing healthy habits that pushed them towards their physical goals. The simplest real life example we can think of comes from our first kinetix success story – Coach Bill. As many of you know, Coach Bill literally reinvented himself with kinetix. He dropped 40 pounds of fat and went from “fat, lazy old man” to “world’s fittest grandpa”. One day we were talking about self-discipline and his kinetix journey and he simply stated, “I stopped doing bad things to my body and started doing good things – it’s as simple as that!”
I couldn’t have said it better.
Now, are you ready to change some of your habits? Are you ready to drop those bad habits holding you back? Are you ready to start some new habits that will help you drop that stubborn body fat once and for all? If your answer is “Yes!” then please get ready to complete a simple but powerful 3-step “homework assignment”. You’ll be glad you did.
Step 1: What’s your goal?
Write it down and be specific (Or if you’re really brave, post it on your kinetix community page). For example, “My goal is to drop 20 pounds of fat over the next 8-weeks.” This is a very simple, measurable, time sensitive goal.
Step 2: Write down three habits that are currently holding you back from achieving your goal.
So, using the example from Step 1, we might come up with the following:
• I make excuses about not having enough time to exercise.
• I buy junk food every time I go grocery shopping.
• I eat way too much fast food!
Step 3: Write down three new habits that will push you towards your goal.
Again, using the example from Step 1, we might come up with the following:
• I will go to bed 30-minutes earlier and wake up 30-minutes earlier so I can do my exercise each morning.
• I will buy healthy food (no junk food) each trip to the grocery store.
• I will learn to cook five healthy kinetix recipes.
By the way, once you’ve mastered these three new healthy habits, set a goal of mastering three more. I’ve learned from experience that trying to change too many habits at once rarely sticks. And, since we’re in this for life, take it three habits at a time and you’ll reach your goal once and for all.
Finally, make a commitment to these new habits for 8-weeks. I encourage you to read your goal, your habits holding you back and your new healthy habits each morning and each night for the entire 8-weeks. You should be able to recite them out loud to anyone who might ask (ie: a kinetix coach).
I hope you’ve come to agree with me that “self-discipline” is not the magic key to success. Instead, you have to be “disciplined” to do the right “habits” – the habits that move you towards your goal.
Here’s to your success.
If so, you’re not alone. We hear from people every day who attribute their inability to get in shape to a lack of self-discipline. Well, over the years I’ve come to view “self-discipline” in a very different way.
What if I insisted that successful people have no more self-discipline than unsuccessful people? Or that “fit” people have no more self-discipline than “unfit” people? What if I insisted that YOU are a self-disciplined person right NOW? So am I. So is everyone reading this blog. Would that make sense? Or, are you reading this thinking “this kinetix founder is nuts…”. Before you answer that…hear me out.
I’ve observed that each and every one of us is 100% self disciplined…to our current “habits”. We ALL have habits that we follow each day. We have habits for how we start our day, how we work, how we eat, and how we treat other people. And, the only thing that makes a habit good or bad is whether it pushes us closer or further away from our goals.
Over the past decade, I’ve had the pleasure of coaching countless people from unfit to fit. Each of these people earned their success by developing healthy habits that pushed them towards their physical goals. The simplest real life example we can think of comes from our first kinetix success story – Coach Bill. As many of you know, Coach Bill literally reinvented himself with kinetix. He dropped 40 pounds of fat and went from “fat, lazy old man” to “world’s fittest grandpa”. One day we were talking about self-discipline and his kinetix journey and he simply stated, “I stopped doing bad things to my body and started doing good things – it’s as simple as that!”
I couldn’t have said it better.
Now, are you ready to change some of your habits? Are you ready to drop those bad habits holding you back? Are you ready to start some new habits that will help you drop that stubborn body fat once and for all? If your answer is “Yes!” then please get ready to complete a simple but powerful 3-step “homework assignment”. You’ll be glad you did.
Step 1: What’s your goal?
Write it down and be specific (Or if you’re really brave, post it on your kinetix community page). For example, “My goal is to drop 20 pounds of fat over the next 8-weeks.” This is a very simple, measurable, time sensitive goal.
Step 2: Write down three habits that are currently holding you back from achieving your goal.
So, using the example from Step 1, we might come up with the following:
• I make excuses about not having enough time to exercise.
• I buy junk food every time I go grocery shopping.
• I eat way too much fast food!
Step 3: Write down three new habits that will push you towards your goal.
Again, using the example from Step 1, we might come up with the following:
• I will go to bed 30-minutes earlier and wake up 30-minutes earlier so I can do my exercise each morning.
• I will buy healthy food (no junk food) each trip to the grocery store.
• I will learn to cook five healthy kinetix recipes.
By the way, once you’ve mastered these three new healthy habits, set a goal of mastering three more. I’ve learned from experience that trying to change too many habits at once rarely sticks. And, since we’re in this for life, take it three habits at a time and you’ll reach your goal once and for all.
Finally, make a commitment to these new habits for 8-weeks. I encourage you to read your goal, your habits holding you back and your new healthy habits each morning and each night for the entire 8-weeks. You should be able to recite them out loud to anyone who might ask (ie: a kinetix coach).
I hope you’ve come to agree with me that “self-discipline” is not the magic key to success. Instead, you have to be “disciplined” to do the right “habits” – the habits that move you towards your goal.
Here’s to your success.
Comment
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Comment by Coach Marcie on November 11, 2009 at 3:28pm - Jamie, I think one of the many great concepts provided by Kinetix is the idea of Free Targets/Journaling! I see that my clients are being more mindful about their food choices and learning to balance their meals and snacks better each day with this concept behind them. Free Targets allow our clients to have a window into their nutritional behaviors that have played a roll in taking them away from their optimal vision of themselves. Using a journal to note positive nutrition habits as well as Free targets is a great stepping stone to changing these unhealthy habits. Mix journaling about their nutrition and free targets with support/a consistent workout program, and there is no doubt that clients can get and stay in the best shape of their life! First step: be ""disciplined" to do the right" thing and use your journal :)
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Comment by Daphne Petersen on May 28, 2008 at 2:42pm - I am just getting started with the program. -- Thanks for your very tangible assigment. I'm on my way to making good habits a part of my life. Thanks for the boost.
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Comment by Sue Trostle on May 27, 2008 at 1:19pm - Okay so now I know how to change those bad habits into good habits! I am definitely going to post my goal and then do my homework! Thanks for sharing this with me! It is truly inspiring !!
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Comment by Jennifer Wilkins on November 2, 2007 at 8:43pm
- That was awesome! It's funny - I have a habit each morning that is mostly good. I set my alarm about 15 minutes earlier than I need to get up. Then I spend about 10 snoozing and 5 talking myself out of getting up to workout. Rarely does the not-workout devil win the self talk debate. I usually end it with - "you'll feel better if you work out and besides you only get to sleep in an extra 15 minutes if you don't get up now so GET UP." I'll have to think about the homework and come up with some more new habits.
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Comment by Amber N on October 18, 2007 at 12:52pm
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I absolutely agree. And I agree with Lisa that this does not have to ONLY be applied to fitness goals. Career dreams, saving money to buy a house, having a family... Complacency is moreso what I think of when people say they don't have enough self-descipline. They just don't care enough about their actual goals to make a diffinitive plan to reach them. Or, they don't know where to start. I think your "exercise" in this post is a great place to start - for those who ACTUALLY want to make a change in their lives, as opposed to those who just SAY that they want to change but don't actively pursue their goals.
Thanks, Jamie!
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Comment by Kelly Stabbler on October 16, 2007 at 5:05pm
- Thank you.
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Comment by Coach Lisa on October 15, 2007 at 8:33pm -
I like this because it can be applied to things other than fitness goals.
I will be working on the homework too!
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Comment by shelly Milovich on October 15, 2007 at 5:47pm - Loved it Jamie! SO TRUE! Thanks!
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Comment by Coach Terry on October 13, 2007 at 3:02pm - Jamie...Thanks for this inspiring post!! I read it early this morning and have just finished updating the goal section on "my page" to incorporate your homework assignments. I am committed to make the changes!
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Comment by Kristin Anderson on October 13, 2007 at 9:58am
- WOW this is powerful stuff Jamie. It sounds like this Kinetix Founder guy might kind of know what he's talking about:)
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