The Number One Thing That’s Standing in Your Way

standing in your wayAsk yourself a question: what’s the number one thing standing in your way? Between you and your goals? Between you and the thing you want most?

You might say time. You might say money. You might say skills or talent or resources.

I’d bet that you’re probably wrong.

I’ve come to learn, from experience and from the counsel of many wise people, that your feelings are standing in your way more than anything.

Your feelings love to lie to you. They love to tell you no, shut you down and change your mind.

Don’t get me wrong, feelings can be great. Love, hope, excitement, anticipation – these are wonderful things.

But many of our feelings are harmful and counterproductive. The most dangerous of all are the feelings that lead us to say these five terrible words:

“I don’t feel like it.”

That sentence can shatter dreams. It stops journeys before they even begin. It puts an artificial-but-seemingly-insurmountable wall between you and your goals.

I learned long ago that in order to succeed, you MUST act differently than you feel.

Dr. Rob Gilbert, a sports psychology professor at Montclair State University, squashes the curse of “I don’t feel like it” in three sentences:

Your actions change your attitude.

Your motions change your emotions.

Your movements change your mood.

You MUST let your actions dictate your feelings and not vice versa. Get moving to get your mind right.

Almost every person I’ve ever trained or coached who has fallen short of their goals has allowed their feelings to get in their way at one point or another. And every single time I’ve fallen short of my own goals, my feelings have been to blame.

You don’t FEEL like eating more protein and vegetables?

You don’t FEEL like spending an hour at the gym three times a week?

You don’t FEEL like going to bed at 10 p.m. so you can get eight hours of sleep?

These are three simple things that will lead most fitness beginners to their goals. But most people don’t feel like doing any of those things. And because of that, they will never reach their potential.

You must continually act differently than you feel. Over time, actions will change your feelings. Things you used to dread will become things you do automatically, or even enjoy. That’s how habits are built.

Surely, it isn’t this simple all the time. But for most people, it IS as simple as pushing your “I don’t feel like it” aside and taking action. Two feet on the floor, out of bed. One foot in front of the other, out the door toward whatever goal you keep blocking yourself from.

What’s standing in your way? Your actions? Or your feelings that are blocking the RIGHT actions?

 

 

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