WILLPOWER
Telling yourself that you do not possess enough self-control to achieve a goal can be a self-fulfilling prophecy that may be holding you back from reaching your potential. Set challenges for yourself and practice your willpower skills like paying attention, mindfulness, and staying on task. The same goes for getting fit, with physical discomfort, we think, my body is telling me to stop because this is too hard, and actually, it's exactly the opposite. The only way to change those [inner] experiences is to go through them with a sense of commitment to your goal. Exercising on that treadmill or staying on that bike in spin class does get easier each time you do it. But it only gets easier when you're willing to tolerate that initial discomfort. With temptations everywhere it's hard to constantly say no and leave it all up to willpower.
If you're ready to make your healthy lifestyle a priority, you've got to start with a strong foundation. Indulgences are necessary from time to time, but staying committed to a routine will help habits stick for long-term success. It may be a little bit of a struggle at first, but once you get into the groove, you'll wonder how you lived any other way. Feeling guilty about giving into the impulsive part of your personality or criticizing yourself after making a mistake is not going to help you attain your goals. Instead, celebrating your amazing strengths, like all that you are capable of handling, will help get you feel successful. The ability to say no to something is the hardest form of self-control. Turning your focus toward the positive by saying yes to what you most want to achieve gives you the power to keep moving towards your goal even when you are exhausted.
A great place to start when you're strengthening your willpower muscles is to first, set clear and meaningful goals and create a plan to achieve those goals. Start with the smaller goals to build your confidence and then move on to the bigger goals. Staying organized is the best way to be successful. Make a definite schedule for your workouts, free time and work time and stick to it every day. It's easy to miss workouts when fun plans pop up or you get busy at work. Having your schedule planned for the week will help you stay motivated and excited to exercise while knowing when you can spend time with friends and get your work done. Planning ahead will help you to make healthy choices naturally.
