We all love a good success story, don\u2019t we? Hearing how someone dropped 70 pounds. Or got super fit. Or ditched their meds. They make it look so easy. Heck, all you have to do is clear out the pantry and stock it with primal-friendly foods and you\u2019re golden.<\/p>\n
Except that\u2019s not how it works for most people. Most people operate from a point of view that prevents them from seeing the results they\u2019re working so hard to obtain. How many times have you said to yourself, \u201cI\u2019ll be happy once I\u2019m wearing a smaller size.\u201d Or \u201cWhen I lose the weight, I\u2019ll be more confident.\u201d<\/p>\n
In my experience, the biggest difference between folks who continually crush their goals and those who always seem to have setbacks is that goal-crushers know how to tap into the feeling of having already achieved something great before that great thing actually happens.<\/p>\n
Your Thoughts Create Your Reality<\/h2>\n
It\u2019s time we change the conversation from \u201cwhen I achieve my goal, I\u2019ll feel good\u201d to \u201cwhen I start feeling good, I can achieve my goal.\u201d Your thoughts are the biggest needle-mover when it comes to changing your reality.<\/strong> If you want a different life, a different pant size, a different relationship with food, you need to adjust your thoughts.<\/p>\n Easier said than done, right? If you\u2019re new to this whole your-thoughts-create-your-reality thing, let me start by saying that it\u2019s not your fault if you believe you really hate exercising or that you\u2019re destined to battle sugar cravings for the rest of your days. ??We all have self-limiting beliefs. Even health coaches like me. As humans, we\u2019re wired to create narratives based on pieces of information we picked up from childhood, from our family, friends, or our environment, about ourselves or how things are supposed to be.<\/strong> These narratives become a form of our identity. So, while you may believe you couldn\u2019t cut out pizza and beer if your life depended on it, just know that it\u2019s your belief system calling the shots, not the truth.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Every thought you think and action you perform is driven by a belief that a certain outcome is \u2014 or isn\u2019t \u2014 possible. Psychologist Albert Bandura originally proposed the concept of self-efficacy, which refers to the idea that if you believe you can make a change, you\u2019re much more likely to actually do it.<\/p>\n Examples of Strong Self-efficacy:<\/strong><\/p>\n Based on this premise, author James Clear developed a concept he calls identity-based habits. It\u2019s basically the idea that if you believe you\u2019re the type of person who eats healthy or moves daily, it\u2019s easier to change your behaviours<\/strong>, than say forcing yourself to pass on the rolls or go to the gym when you don\u2019t want to.<\/p>\n And then there\u2019s visualization. Long used by athletes, from weekend racers to Olympic gold medalists, visualization is a technique where you spend time practicing experiencing whatever it is that you want to achieve in your mind<\/strong>. That includes the big things like crossing the finish line, and smaller details like lacing up your shoes when it\u2019s miserable out.<\/p>\n When you actively visualize what you want for yourself (and believe you can have it), you\u2019ll start to notice more opportunities \u2014 and you\u2019ll be more likely to persevere when things aren\u2019t all rainbows and sunshine. According to the psychoneuromuscular theory, your neural pathways get programmed the same way whether you\u2019re mentally performing an action or physically performing it.<\/p>\n You\u2019ve probably noticed times when your thoughts produce a physical reaction. Think about when you get nervous. Maybe you get a pit in your stomach or get \u201cbutterflies\u201d when you\u2019re excited, or your shoulders get tense when you feel stressed.<\/p>\n There are tons of studies that prove the power of the mind, including\u00a0one published in Human Kinetics Journals, where researchers looked at the electromyographical activity (EMG) of 22 male and 17 female weightlifters and found that their muscles were activated (and their strength increased) just by imagining lifting weights.<\/p>\n And in another study, where two groups were asked to perform \u201cmental contractions\u201d of their finger and elbow, while one group did the physical equivalent. Over the course of 12 weeks, the first two groups had increased their strength by up to 35% just by imagining doing the exercises, versus a 53% increase with the folks who performed them physically.<\/p>\n Call it visualization, creation, or self-efficacy, the point is, your mind is an amazing tool for laying the groundwork for the life you want. If you\u2019re open to the idea that you can believe it before you see it, check out these steps:<\/p>\n If you\u2019ve been operating from the point of view that you need to see to believe (and not getting the results you want), consider a different tactic. One that gets you tapped into the high vibrating feeling of achieving your goal by following these steps:<\/p>\n What about you? Do you need to see it first? Or are you all-in on believing?<\/em><\/p>\nWhy Self-Efficacy and Visualization Work<\/h2>\n
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Mental Power to Muscle Power<\/h2>\n
How to Create a Believe-It-To-See-It Mindset<\/h2>\n
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Our brains have an unconscious system for completing routine tasks. It\u2019s just one of the ways it keeps us safe from being overloaded with decisions. The problem is, when we\u2019re not consciously aware of what we\u2019re doing (or what we\u2019re thinking), we\u2019ll keep doing and thinking the same thing day after day, which makes it hard to see anything that differs from your current reality.TRY THIS:<\/strong> Next time you\u2019re about to perform a routine task, such as brushing your teeth or scrolling social media, use your non-dominant hand. This helps you stay in the moment and see things in different ways.<\/li>\n
This isn\u2019t about daydreaming that you won the lottery or that you crossed the finish line at Boston. This is about mentally walking through the steps (and the ups and downs that might transpire) that get you to your goal. Basically, it\u2019s a way to convince yourself in the safety of your mind that you are prepared for anything that might happen.TRY THIS:<\/strong> If weight loss is your goal, rehearse prepping a healthy breakfast when you\u2019re short on time or navigating a party with limited food options. If your goal is to have more confidence, rehearse meeting new people \u2014 and feeling great about the interaction.<\/li>\n
Once you start believing that you can lose the weight, or talk to strangers in line at the store, or run a PR, you\u2019ll instinctively want to act. Because you\u2019ve seen it in your mind \u2014 and your neural pathways have started to become programmed as if you\u2019ve been doing it \u2014 the steps you need to take will feel easier and more natural.TRY THIS:<\/strong> Begin with baby steps. Instead of focusing on the end goal, get present and check off the small tasks, like lacing up your running shoes in the morning, sitting down for an epic protein-packed breakfast, or asking a complete stranger how their day is going.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\nIt All Starts with Believing<\/h2>\n
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