Bertrand Arthur William Russell who lived between 18 May 1872 and 2 February 1970, was a British philosopher, logician, mathematician, historian, writer, social critic, political activist, he was a prominent anti-war activist and a Nobel laureate.
In the video below, filmed doing an interview with John Freeman for the BBC’s Face to Face programme in 1959, Russell is asked by Freeman what advice would he give to future generations, based on his own life lessons.
Russell splits his answer into 2 parts, first intellectual advice and secondly moral advice.
The INTELLECTUAL advice
When studying anything, ask yourself what are the facts and what is the truth the facts bare out. Don’t get diverted by what you wish to believe or by what would have beneficial social effects if it were to be believed, only look at the facts
The MORAL advice
Love is wise, hatred is foolish. In an ever more interconnected world, we have to learn to tolerate each other and the learn to live with the fact that some people will say things we don’t like. This is the only way forwards, if we are to live together and not die together.
Following the list below will inevitably improve your quality of life, and those who you share it with. Remember it’s not about what happens to you, but rather how you deal with whatever happens to you.
How do you find the best path to achieving your goal?
There may be many paths you can take to reach your GOAL.
Some paths may cross one another.
Some paths are longer than others.
Some paths may run into a dead end, requiring you to retrace your steps, at least partially, to get back on track.
Some paths lead you to places you never expected, but come to love.
The only paths that fail, are those you abandon.
So to answer the question posed above….
You must TAKE ACTION, deliberately and purposefully, measuring your progress or lack of, as you go.
You should adjust your approach based on your MEASUREMENT feedback.
You should cycle through a process of 1. testing, 2. measuring, and 3. tweaking your execution.
Remain open to alternative methodology; be an humble apprentice, questioning your assumptions and knowledge, always. The moment you decide you know, is the moment you close yourself off from learning anything more.
When it comes to finding the best path to your goal, you would be best to first focus on two coordinates;
#1 – Where you’re starting from and
#2 -Where you want to end up (GOAL)
Without either of these, particularly a well defined GOAL, you have no sense of direction. You cannot know if you are closer or further away, at any point in your journey.
Tony Robbins is a big proponent of MODELLING, when it comes to achieving goals. He teaches his followers to dissect the success of those that have done what you want to do and identify the key ingredients to achieving a positive result.
Once you know what is required to be successful in achieving your goal, you can work out a strategy for making the most of your existing skills and talents, replacing those of the person you are modelling. For instance if someone is amassing a large following on the back of providing great HOW TO.. advice via say, a podcast, but you don’t have the vocal presence or skills needed, you could, maybe, provide the same information via the written word, if you’re a good writer and your skill-set is better suited to that form of delivery. Alternatively you could practice and improve your vocal skills, to the best of your ability, or even put a unique twist on it, to make it more palatable for the audience.
When you’re modeling, separate out the STYLE and STRATEGY that you’re chosen role model is employing. Employ the same strategy they are using, but marry that with your own style to make it authentic and unique to you.
When you have a list of key requirements and/or stages for achieve your goal, use each as a gauge of your progress. Ask “am closer to being able to achieve my goal today, than I was yesterday?”
Once you have fulfilled all the requirements, you should have achieved your goal. If you are still unsuccessful, then look for what ingredient(s) you might have missed. There must be something else missing.
Just a word of warning, when modelling, be aware of the fact that things may have moved on. What worked yesterday may no longer work in the same way today or be relevant to the needs of the market (if your goal is business/marketing related). So make sure that your approach is also up-to-date. For example television advertising was once very profitable for big brands but is no longer so, the audience’s attention is focused online today, via their smartphones. However while this is the case for the likes of business and marketing, which are fast moving and fluid environments, if your goal is fitness or health related, then what worked yesterday is still relevant today.
Getting results in any aspect of life, whether it be work, business, health, relationships, requires knowing what to do and doing what needs to be done. You must have the know how, motivation, and be productive.
We would all like to be more successful in one way or another. Success is not just about having a profitable business, or achieving great wealth, but comes in the form of successfully achieving good health, having great relationships and being more fulfilled spiritually.
I’ve listed 10 great secrets for improving your chances of success, there are others and you can find more ideas throughout this website, so check them out at your leisure, there’s lots to read and watch on the site. Also please consider signing up to our newsletter to get content updates and exclusive material, not available on the website.
So let’s get on with it…
Embrace CHANGE and RISK
There are winners and losers in every situation. You can focus on blaming and complaining, or you can look to position yourself to win. Be a predator of chance, rather than a victim of circumstance.
We resist CHANGE because it brings uncertainty and risk, but it also brings opportunity. Changing your mindset, changes your results.
For example during the financial crisis of 2007-2008, which brought down most of the major economies, some financial institutions were quick to identify the problem and take positions to benefit from it, by shorting stocks.
Every crisis opens up opportunities, you just have to be clear minded enough to be able to take advantage, often in the face of fear and imminent disaster.
Change your PERSPECTIVE
Challenge your perceptions, expectations, assumptions and interpretations.
Accepting the possibility of being wrong takes courage, and self-confidence
The aim is to have a more rounded perspective of the world and to be open to alternative ideas, views and methods of doing things.
Stop EXCUSING failure
Procrastination, blaming and complaining are clever psychological tricks aimed at making yourself feel better for not trying, or failing.
For instance procrastination allows you to delay the necessity to take action, you say, “I’ll start my diet tomorrow or at the beginning of next week or I’ll make it a new year resolution”. They are excuses that allow you to remain unchanged.
Blaming and complaining passes responsibility to others so you can feel better and free yourself from guilt, but passing responsibility passes power, the very power you need to make progress.
Fix MISPERCEPTIONS
Be wary of what you choose to believe. Many belief systems are based on little more than assumptions. Assumptions about what we are being told and assumptions about the people who are telling us, assumptions about what is true and what is not.
You might see your Facebook feed taken up by people commenting on social and political issues, and if you’re like me you wonder how many of these opinions are nothing other than unresearched re-parroting of mis-truths.
In his book “Think and grow rich”, Napoleon Hill advises to always ask “How do you know?” when somebody tells you something, and if their answer happens to be anything other than “from first hand experience”, take it with a pinch of salt.
Be COMMITTED
Going all-in, burning bridges, reaching the point of no return. However you want to term it, making sure you are committed means you have to make it work or else…
When you do anything half heartedly, with one foot in and one foot out, things seem to take much more time to reach a successful conclusion, if at all.
Success needs determination and perseverance, particularly when the going gets tough, and commitment means you’re more likely to push on rather than give up and throw in the towel. Road blocks and obstructions will inevitably halt your progress, to test your resolve. If you are to get past them you have to be resolute, or don’t even bother starting.
Set GOALS
Make your goals dynamic rather than static. What I mean by this is, don’t focus on being a millionaire, instead make goals more action oriented such as… helping a million people get out of poverty by using [your solution]. This helps you link your GOAL back to where you are starting out from.
Start by focusing on helping one person then get better and more effective at doing it. The aim from there is to leverage your results to help more and more people. Ask “How can I help one person?” and progress from there.
Once you start on this defined path, progress is easy to measure and you are in a groove from the word go.
Narrow your FOCUS
Have you ever used a magnifying glass to concentrate the sun’s rays and burn grass, insects or even a friend’s hand for a bit of, so called fun? Then you’ll appreciate the power of focused energy.
In the same way the sun’s energy is intensified into a small beam of heat, when you concentrate your energy onto a single thing, the power of that energy, of effort, in this case, is greatly intensified to much greater effect than would be the case if you were covering a wide number of different things.
When you spread yourself thin, your energy dissipates to a large extent. You are bound to get a drop in consequences and outcomes. Focus will maximise the return on energy invested, otherwise known as energy return on investment.
Put in the HARD WORK
If you believe you can be an overnight success, make a website and earn thousands of pounds in passive income, you’re deluded.
There are many sharks hoping to sell you the next money making system for just $49. Forget it, the only person you’re going to make rich is the person selling you the system.
Success takes work, don’t be persuaded otherwise. Knuckle down and do something you love, and “GRAFT AT YOUR CRAFT“. Get into a virtuous cycle of continual improvement based on action and feedback, and learn as you practice.
LEVERAGE resources
The ability to leverage resources is the key to riches. Leverage requires employing a system to grow from one to many.
Think of opening a shop, and then two, three and more. You find a method that can deliver value to customers in one area. When you have it cracked you open in a new area and repeat.. If you drive a taxi for a living, you get a second car, pay someone to drive it for you, pocket any profit, repeat and rinse.
You can personally only work so many hours, there is a ceiling to your earning power. Businesses leverage the power of the many, for a common cause, and the owner makes a killing in the process.
Manage STRESS
The ability to manage thoughts and emotions is often the difference between achieving greatness or failing.
Think of the football player stepping up to take a penalty in a big match, with the world on the edge of their seats watching, half the people wishing for a miss, and the other half completely emotionally invested in a successful outcome. A place in history or abject failure, the consequences couldn’t be more stark.
If you’re not a football fan you might not appreciate this scenario fully, so instead think of a situation where success and failure hang on the outcome of one thing, one action, and try to imagine the pressure that builds, the self-doubt that surge’s through your mind and the impact on physiology. The stomach churns, the legs go weak, the mouth is as dry as a bone, the flight or fight mechanism kicks in.
Managing your thoughts is key to managing your emotions. Gain some perspective: if it’s not truly life and death, don’t build it up to be. Don’t believe your whole future happiness depends on this one break, because it doesn’t. Stop manifesting pressure that doesn’t need to be there. Improve your EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE because it will improve your performance.
BE HONEST with yourself
The ability to look in the mirror and admit your shortcomings, your weakness and know what you would prefer to be doing is all important when crafting a life you love, but it’s not easy.
You have to let go of the image of yourself you HOPE TO BE or would like to see yourself being, and embrace the reality. If you suffer from low self esteem, this can be painful, but it is for the best, because it will allow you to move forward in a more realistic way.
There is no point in fooling yourself and wasting precious time. Bite the bullet, be honest with yourself and start moving down the right path, armed with a strong sense of self awareness.
The building blocks to success can be accessed through the following links, covering MOTIVATION, PRODUCTIVITY and KNOWLEDGE.
Get Results: success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get
Quotes can be a great motivator. Good ones can help to inspire us to take action, and change perspective on how we look at upcoming challenges.
Words really matter, because they can unlock something in our psyche. Use quotes to move you towards your goal, towards your SUCCESS.
Here are some of my favourite success / get results quotes…
“If you focus on success, you will never change. If you focus on change, you will get success”.
“Tears will get you sympathy, taking focused action will get you results”. – M. Turner
“If you want something you’ve never had, then you’ve got to do something you’ve never done”.
“Don’t be upset by the results you didn’t get, with the work you didn’t do”.
“You don’t always get what you wish for, you get what you work for”.
“Forget strategy, get results”.
“Success just beyond fear and underestimation of goals, use motivation and prioritised productivity to get you there”. – M. Turner
“Don’t make excuses, make results.”
“Excuses are useless, results are priceless”.
“If you tell people where to go, but not how to get there, you’ll be amazed at the results”. George S. Patton
“Accept the challenges, so that you feel the exhilaration of victory”. – General George Patton
“Effectiveness is best measured by results over time”. – Richard Tyler
“Live for something rather than die for nothing”.
“Courage is simply the willingness to be afraid and act anyway”. Dr Robert Anthony
“Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity”. George S. Patton
“Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom” – George S. Patton
“Don’t be afraid to take a big step if one is indicated. You can’t cross a chasm in two small jumps”. – David Lloyd George
“Do something today that your future self will thank you for”.
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep”. – Scott Adams
“I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work”
“You’ll never find the right person, if you never let go of the wrong one”.
“Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try”.
“No matter how you feel… Get up, dress up, show up and never give up”.
“If you really want to do something, you will find a way. If you don’t you’ll find an excuse”.
“Don’t be ashamed of your story, it will inspire others”.
“Limit only exists in the mind”.
“If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money cant’ buy”.
“You can have success or excuses, not both”.
“Get out of your own way”.
“No risk is too great to prevent the necessary job from getting done”.
“Nothing worth having comes easily”.
“Children usually do not blame themselves for getting lost”. – Anna Freud
“The only bad workout is the one that didn’t happen”.
“When you feel like quitting, think about why you started”.
“Small changes can make a big difference”.
“We reap what we sow…choose what you nourish carefully”.
“While you are still waiting to find an easy way (or perfect time), someone esle is already getting results, because they decided making progress is more important than making excuses. ”
“Make big changes in small steps”.
“It’s not the load that break you down, it’s the way you carry it.” Lou Holtz
“I feel like i’m too busy writing history to read it.”
“Purpose is the reason you journey. Passion is the fire that lights your way”.
“Some people dream of success, while other people get up every morning and make it happen.” – Wayne Huizenga.
“Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.” – Dwayne Johnson
“Ambition is the path to success. Persistence is the vehicle you arrive in.” – Bill Bradley
“There is simply no substitute for hard work when it comes to achieving success.” – Heather Bresch
“Success is a journey, not a destination.” – Ben Sweetland
“Success is nothing more than a few simple disciplines, practiced every day.” – Jim Rohn
“If you believe it will work out, you’ll see opportunities. If you believe it won’t you will see obstacles.” – Wayne Dyer
“Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change.” – Wayne Dyer
“Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” – Pele
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
“Success comes from over-delivering on customers expectations. There are more than 50 quotes in this article.” – M. Turner
Get Results: can ambition and spirituality coexist
Simultaneously seeking Spirituality and Ambition can seem like a contradiction but they aren’t, if you approach them in the right way.
The seeming juxtaposition comes from the fact that spiritualism tells us we are already enough, and that when we try to find ourselves in DOING, we, in fact, lose ourselves in DOING. It tells us that salvation comes from this moment consciousness, and that psychological time only serves to trap us in the Ego (identification with thought), which is only concerned with past and future and uses the present as a stepping stone to the future, with no intrinsic value of its own.
Ambition on the other hand has, at its very core, discontentment with the present situation and the desire for some future salvation, something better than what is. Ambition is also accessed through thought and if we identify with these thoughts, we are lost in the Ego.
So how can you reconcile the two? How can you be content with the present, yet yearn enough to motivate you to go for more or better? Well the answer comes from understanding that, you are already enough and that you really won’t find yourself in DOING, or in HAVING, or WANTING, and you shouldn’t be motivated to be better or have more, or be richer, for any self gain, or constantly losing yourself in thoughts of what might or could be.
Instead seek ambition only for selfless reasons, focusing on a present moment perspective. To contribute more, participate in the game of life as much as possible, not for yourself but in the service of others or the planet, or whatever floats your boat. See ambition as a game to be enjoyed, and an opportunity to express yourself, not for the serious pursuit of gain, for doing so is false, it’s Ego motivated and will keep you away from your true spiritual self. Instead do it as a method of expression, aimed at helping and contributing to make the world we live in a better place, even if it’s in a very small or narrow way. After all we can make the world a better place, even by the simple act of smiling at a stranger, as they walk by.
The Ego wants more, better, and seeks gain for selfish reasons, because it is consumed with fear… of loss, and of not being enough, and in that pursuit comes greed, fear and the desire for power, which ultimately are doomed to end in pain. When you fight to be better, you position yourself separate from others, and adopt a competitive mindset, classic Ego positioning.
Alternatively when you act to serve others, for the good of others, you take up an inclusive mindset. It maximises your impact, without using it to serve your Ego, or trying to pump yourself up. When you do it to make yourself feel better, you have moved under the influence of the Ego. Use your Ego to serve you, don’t let it take over as master. The difference is subtle, but vastly different at the same time.
Live you life by focusing your attention on this moment, the moment you live your life though. Stop living in and identifying with thought. You can still use thought for goal setting and planning purposes, when necessary, but even that process can be done while remaining in the moment, without getting lost in thought and letting it take over you.
Get Results: acquire knowledge, be motivated, be productive
Getting results in any aspect of life can be difficult, and having heavily researched the subject of success and getting results, I can tell you there are so many aspects to it.
However, when you boil it down to its primary components there are three, Knowledge, Motivation and Productivity. Everything else falls into these three.
Things like self awareness, taking responsibility, being committed, having a strong work ethic, being brave enough to overcome fear, fall under the motivation category.
Being focused, improving decision making and problemsolving fall under, productivity.
Finding reliable sources of unbiased, accurate information, under knowledge.
I love the fact you can say the same things a myriad of different ways, the following graphics have been done to illustrate this.
Get Results: know want and doGet Results: learn, desire, actionGet Results: learn, focus, executeGet Results: know, care, do
Check out our guides for more information, you’ll find links in the sidebar (desktop) or below (mobile)
Knowledge is power, or at least it’s the potential for power. Knowing what to do is vital for success, but it comes about in a variety of ways.
The best method is probebly learning through DOING. But lessons can be learned, and shortcuts can be takens by paying attention to the journey of those that have gone before you.
Role models and mentors can make a huge contribution to your progress, and shorten the time needed to reach your goal, as long as you pick sources that provide accurate information, unbiased by their own agendas, and self interests.
If you don’t have direct access to role models, books are a great alternative and gateway to knowledge.
https://youtu.be/jPMsoMrP8uk
Below is a number of ingredients to the acquistion of knowledge, which is one of the three components of the Get Results model, the others being motivation and productivity. We will, over the coming months be linking from this page to fresh, relevant content related to the component it is linked from, so please keep checking back.
Clicking on the posters will take you to more in-depth information. If it doesn’t click through, the information isn’t available yet.
Get Results: Knowledge requires reliable sources of informationGet Results: Knowledge requires verifiably credible and unbiased sourcesGet Results: Knowledge requires roles models mentors mastermind teamsGet Results: Knowledge requires accurate informationGet Results: Knowledge requires knowing how, what and when particularly whyGet Results: Knowledge requires putting knowledge into actionGet Results: Knowledge requires developing skill from the prractice of doing. (Click on poster for more info)Get Results: Knowledge requires learning, comprehension and recallGet Results: Knowledge requires testing variableslGet Results: Knowledge requires asking expansive questionslGet Results: Knowledge requires hiring talent to do it for you
Knowledge Quotes
“Knowledge is of no value unless you put it into practice.” – Anton Chekhov
“The only good is knowledge, and the only evil is ignorance.” – Socrates
“Knowledge is power if applied.”
“Power is gained by sharing knowledge, not hoarding it.”
“knowledge comes from learning, wisdom comes from living.” – Anthony Douglas Williams
“knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.”
“The first step towards knowledge is to know that we are ignorant.” – Richard Cecil
“An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin
“intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings.” – Salvador Dali
“As knowledge increases, wonder deepens.” – Charles Morgan
“Doubt is the key to knowledge.”
“knowledge shrinks as wisdom grows.” – Alfred North Whitehead
“If we wonder often, the gift of knowledge will come.” – Arapaho
“Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.” – George Bernard Shaw
“The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action.” – Herbert Spencer
“Today knowledge has power. It controls access to opportunity and advancement.” – Peter Drucker
“It takes considerable knowledge just to realise the extent of your ignorance.” – Thomas Sowell
“We are all ignorant. It’s what you do about it that counts. I wish more people felt comfortable asking questions, the world would be a better place if they did. After all, division is built from ignorance.”
When discussing WEALTH, most people focus on the economic aspects of wealth. But ECONOMICS is only a small part of overall LIFE WEALTH. Life wealth covers all aspects of life, including, economic, physical/health, psychological and social areas.
Social wealth
This is about the RELATIONSHIP CONNECTIONS that you form, and can include good and bad. Relationships with family, friends, colleagues, bosses, subordinates, even strangers. Think about the positive relationships you establish and the negative ones. Increasing well-being, means deepening the positive relationships and ditching the negative ones. Align your energy with those that feel good, and positive. Having a good social SUPPORT NETWORK, and personal BONDING is a fundamental need for the human species.
How do you know if a relationship is positive? Ask yourself honestly, if you feel a greater sense of your BEING, an expanded version of yourself. You are MORE, in the company of a particular other person. You can be true to yourself, and the relationship JUST WORKS. There are no downsides. You accept the other people for who they are, and they accept you. If it’s a case of they are great when not [blank], then consider how often they are [blank], is this a price worth paying. The blank could be drunk, angry, on drugs or a myriad of other things.
You have to take the person as a whole, their good aspects and bad aspects. Don’t try to mould people to fit what you want, let them be who they are. If it works on that basis, great. If not, move on, life is really too short.
Physical Health wealth
It doesn’t matter how economically wealthy you are, without good physical health, you just can’t enjoy the fruits of wealth to the same degree. Health is so much more of a blessing than money could ever be.
We tend to neglect physical health, taking it for granted until it is taken away from us. On the flip side, enjoying good health, makes everything else more enjoyable.
Now I’m not saying you can’t have a good life without good health, because you can. You have to make the best of the hand life deals you. Some of the most extraordinary people in the world today, suffer from bad health and illness, but through the frailty of their form, shines through the light of their spirit. They can be an inspiration for others.
The point I’m trying to make is, don’t take your health for granting, look after it, and appreciate it.
Psychological wealth
Psychological wealth, includes intellectual and emotional aspects of personality. Emotions are triggered by our thoughts, which also have a bearing on most everything we do, including our social connections and how we treat our health.
Our thoughts are what shape our beliefs and values, which in turn affect our perceptions and interpretations about life and everything in it. What you focus your thoughts on, beccomes your reality. Therefore the quality of your thoughts, determines the quality of your life. Check out our wellbeing guide for more information.
Mental health is getting more attention today, than it has ever has before. It is a really big issue. Life today seems to be too much for some people to cope, overwhelmed by their perception of the complexities of modern life, the rapid rate of change, seeming lack of security, consistency, and stability economically and politically. People locked in EGOIC STRIVING for more and need for growth, are put under tremendous social pressure to achieve success, or be labelled a failure. Interpreting a breakdown in the sense of community, lack of emotional support and parental bonding can also impact negatively on psychological wealth.
On the positive side, having a positive mental attitude, the freedom to be yourself, to be true to who you are, the courage to follow your dreams, a positive self image, acceptance of the good and bad of what makes you, you, can have a major positive impact on your psychological wealth.
Economic wealth
So let’s give it some attention, economic wealth, is what most, or at least, a lot of people are fixated with. Wanting more is a structural part of the Ego, where WANTING is often more important than HAVING.
Having the burden of debt or liabilities has a negative impact on you, while having savings and assets, a positive one.
Pulling it all together
Like a balance sheet, positive aspects are weighed against the negative aspects of each of the wealth categories PHYSICIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, SOCIAL, and ECONOMIC. The aim is to have a positive perspective for each to increase your overall LIFE WEALTH.
I’ve weighted the categories in order of importance (from my perspective).
PSYCHOLOGICAL and PHYSICAL HEALTH WEALTH = each is 5/16
SOCIAL WEALTH = 4/16
ECONOMIC WEALTH = 2/16
You might have a different order than mine, it doesn’t really matter, as long as you consider them all when coming to a judgement of your wealth status.
The initial inspiration for this article was taken from actualwealth.com. Check it out by following the link. We have built on the model presented there, making a number of adjustments, taken from our own experiences and understanding.
Get Results: Being healthy isn’t a fad or a trend, it’s a lifestyle
Why do some people stick to a healthy diet, and a productive exercise routine, while others don’t?
If you’re not exercising regularly (even if it’s just regular walking), and you’re not maintaining a healthy weight, you’re not living a healthy life, and you maybe, should be making a change. We all know it can be difficult to shed the pounds, especially as we get older, but most of the reasons for not following through on a healthy lifestyle, are largely due to motivational issues, rather than physical constraints.
ALWAYS CONSULT A DOCTOR BEFORE UNDERTAKING ANY PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND DIETARY PLAN. THERE ARE SOME MEDICAL CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE EXCESS WEIGHT, SO CHECK WITH YOUR DOCTOR FIRST.
it is common knowledge, that a mixture of good diet and regular exercise is required to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle, so we will be dealing with both in this article. I’m not going into the particulars about what foods to eat and not eat, and what exercises to undertake and what to avoid, in this article, it’s more about strategy, then execution.
Let’s look at some of the reasons and excuses for not sticking to a good diet and regular exercise routine and then what we can do about them. I have separated them out so that we can deal with them in turn, some of the points are repeated for both, where applicable. These are based on my experience, you may find some of the points apply to you, and some may not. It is recommended that you make your own list.
Self analysis
Not sticking to diet/eating plan
Giving in to a moment of weakness
Giving in to the urge/hunger
Inability to resist/delay (taste) gratification
Crave the taste/experience of (unhealthy/fatty food)
Think “will cut back tomorrow to make up”, but then don’t – (rationalise breaking the rules)
Procrastinating “I will start tomorrow/next week/new year”
What we can do about it
Realise there is only ever this moment, so act NOW.
Don’t believe or fool yourself and your rationalisations – resist the temptation
Frame nice tasting food, negatively
Make healthy food more appealing and enjoyable
Fill yourself up on water (no calories), so you don’t feel hungry, sometimes thirst can be mistaken for hunger
Keep your mind busy, so you don’t think about food out of boredom
Avoid distractions and temptations altogether (no chocolates in cupboard)
Have an accountability buddy, or some mechanism for holding yourself to account
Set yourself a goal, that has no wriggle room and set a deadline to achieve it, hold yourself to account. So you will be embarrassed if you don’t achieve it
Set yourself an achievable target, that allows you to enjoy eating some treats (as part of the plan), then have zero tolerance for coming off plan. Mark X’s on a calendar each day you stick to your plan, don’t break the row of X’s
Make it part of your lifestyle, who you are, what you do. Make it a good habit. Once it becomes part of your routine, it will be easier to stick to.
Not exercising
Want to do something other than exercising, like watching TV, working on laptop.
Don’t want the discomfort of going outside, or having to pay and go to the gym, and missing out on doing more fun things.
Lack of energy willpower, can’t be bothered – lethargy.
Would rather be doing anything else – don’t enjoy exercising.
Procrastinating “I will start tomorrow/next week/new year”
What to do about it
Realise there is only ever this moment, so act NOW.
Try to undertake exercise that is fun to do – has a social element to it
Exercise in front of the TV, so you can do both
Remove the temptations or distractions, so you can’t do them anyway, even if you don’t exercise.
Do short bursts of high intensity, do them in advert break.
Have a accountability buddy, or exercise with one
Set yourself a goal, that has no wriggle room and set a deadline to achieve it, hold yourself to account. You will be embarrassed if you don’t achieve it
Don’t think about it, just set a routine and stick to it – make yourself do it, once it becomes a habit, it will get easier.
Set yourself an achievable target, that allows you to enjoy some treats or veto’s, then have zero tolerance for coming off plan. Mark X’s on a calendar each day you stick to your plan, don’t break the row of X’s
Make it part of your lifestyle, who you are, what you do
I have put down some of the things that go through my mind when I’m faced with the choice of either eating something I want to eat or eating healthy, and with regards to exercising or not. You should add your own excuses to this list as part of your self-awareness analysis.
Conclusion
First set yourself a GOAL, give yourself some room for TREATS, otherwise you will be miserable (thinking you are missing out too much) and will be unlikely to keep it up. Your goal has to be sustainable, and enjoyable, if possible. Some exercise is better than none.
Develop a PLAN OF ACTION to achieve your GOAL. Set to a timeline, with a deadline. In doing this, you have to tap into your SELF AWARENESS, and figure out why you’re not doing what you need to do, or find out why you’re doing things that are counter-productive to your goal. Try to manage your weaknesses. For example, If you can’t pull yourself away from the TV, stick a treadmill in front of it and do exercise while watching TV.
Then you have to TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. There is no short-cut, or magic formula (be very, very careful about taking slimming aids and quick fixes, they can result in untold damage to your body). Stop making excuses and blaming other people or circumstances and the stresses of life, for not following your plan.
TAKE RIGHT ACTION. Those that take RIGHT ACTION have made it part of their routine. They JUST DO IT. They have found a way to JUST MAKE IT HAPPEN. It can be difficult to go against your bad habits, so either find some form of HACK to fool yourself into complying, or just make yourself do it.
Finally, be COMMITTED to your goal and plan of action, see it through to a successful conclusion.
