5 reasons why you can’t achieve your health goals
We all have different health goals. For example one person might want to lose weight and another person might want to improve their fitness and be more consistent with their training. Whilst what you need to do to achieve your personal goals will vary, the underlying reasons as to why you haven’t are the same.
Here are 5 reasons why you can’t achieve your health goals.
1. You don’t believe you can do it
“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right.”
— Henry Ford
When you start with the belief that you can’t, this signals your nervous system to respond in a negative way that shuts down your drive and motivation to take action. The language we use has a powerful impact over our ability to take action. If you continuously tell your brain “I can’t lose weight”, you will act in accordance with this belief.
Your beliefs shape your potential to change. Your potential determines the actions you take which in turn determines the results. Choose your words carefully and believe you CAN change.
2. Incongruence:
Part of you wants to eat better, stop drinking so much alcohol or exercise more but there is also a part of you that isn’t completely sold on the idea. Maybe that’s because you have a fear of missing out on the ‘fun’ or the thought of taking a group exercise class makes you uncomfortable. To achieve you goal you need to be 100% certain you want it. When we have mixed emotions we fail to tap into our full potential to achieve that goal.
3. You have a failed strategy
“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting a different result”
- Albert Einstein
Having the right plan of attack in place is essential and this strategy needs to be right for you. What works for one person might not work for you. Your inability to reach your goal isn’t because you can’t but rather because you don’t have the right strategy in place to get you there. Change the direction and change the outcome.
4. You have unrealistic goals
Goals are important because without knowing exactly what you want to achieve you can’t implement a clear action plan to get you there. However ensuring these goals are realistic and achievable is a key component to your success. Setting the bar too high not only makes it hard for you to conjure up the motivation to reach that goal but you are setting yourself up for failure. In my practice we celebrate the small wins because success breed success and failure breeds failure.
5. You haven’t taken full responsibility for your situation
We often play the blame game or find excuses as to why we are presented with our current health challenges. Common ones I hear in my practice are; “I’m a busy mum and I need to prioritise my kids”, “I can’t cook”, or “I’ve tried everything”. Whilst there might be some truth to your excuses, if you view your circumstance being caused by something outside of you, you will never have the ability to control or change it. It’s not your problems that keep you back from achieving your goals, it’s the story you tell yourself about them that give you an excuse to stay in your comfort zone. Taking ownership puts you in the driver’s seat.
A key component of a successful health program is having a positive mindset. There are many limiting beliefs and deeper psychological reasons as to why you are presented with your current health challenges. That is why I have created a session solely focused on working with clients on identifying their limiting beliefs and patterns that are obstructing them from reaching their goals. By identifying these at the start you will have more control over your negative thoughts, maximising your willpower for consistent and lasting results. This is often the missing link in a successful program.
If you would like to learn more about my Mastering you Mindset Consultations, please get in touch.