It’s something that many of us struggle with – we know that as Mish says, ‘We’ve gotta have a plan, man’, and we diligently build our plans to help us achieve our health and fitness goals, but what happens when something happens to throw our plans out of whack?
Step 1: Let Go Of All-Or-Nothing Thinking
For those who struggle with all or nothing perfectionist-type behaviour, a deviation or an upset to our plan has us leaping off our wagons into the fields, and we are never seen again. For others, it’s almost the excuse we were looking for – the reason why our plans can’t work, won’t work, were never going to work.
And then there are the lucky few, who seem to be able to navigate through the twists and turns, these ‘Red Flag situations’ (both planned for, and unexpected) without coming apart at the seams. Those who can stay on the wagon, guide it back on track, and continue on to achieve (and then maintain) their goals. So how do we become one of these lucky people?!
Also read: Letting Go Of All-Or-Nothing Thinking
Step 2: The Power of Mindset
First know this: luck has nothing to do with it. What it comes down to is self belief, planning and perseverance.
The people who manage to stay on track when their routines get derailed recognize that life happens. As much as you can plan how you’re going to live your life to get from ‘here’ directly to ’there’, stuff is going to come up that means that the straight line plan may need to get reviewed to include a detour around said stuff. And that’s ok! Create Plan A – the direct route, but also create Plan B, and Plan C – each containing possible detour scenarios. That way, when detours come up, you’ve got the plans in place to be able to persevere – and thus achieve your goals.
For example, if Plan A is that you are going to go to the gym every morning before the kids get up, six days a week for the next 12 weeks, great – that’s Plan A. Now create Plan B – what if one of the kids get sick, or your partner’s away? Plan B might be to buy some exercise DVDs or do a 12WBT Exercise Video. Plan C might be that you create a short 10 minute exercise circuit or one of our 12WBT Express Workouts. Planning to be flexible is a great way to work around those ‘All-Or-Nothing” tendencies that some of us struggle with.
Also read: No Time? No Problem. Express Workouts To Fit Your Life
Step 3: Recognise When You’re Self-Sabotaging
What else do people who successfully navigate around derailments, do differently to those who use detours as an excuse to give up? They know themselves. They’ve looked at their behaviours, and repeating patterns that have played out in their lives and recognised when they’re self-sabotaging. They’ve subsequently uncovered the beliefs that are driving those self-sabotaging behaviours, let them go, and implanted (and nurtured) beliefs which serve them better. While consciously recognising self-sabotaging behaviour can be relatively ‘easy’ (if not confronting) to do, the uncovering and releasing of underlying subconscious beliefs (and replacing them with new ones) can be tricky, and often require help from experienced professionals.
If you’ve worked through Pre-Season Task #1 ‘Get Real’, and still find that even with that planning and perseverance in place, you’re falling off the wagon and not getting back on, check out the Self Sabotage Mindset Video Part 1 and see if you recognise self-sabotage behaviours within yourself. Follow the conscious actions that Mish recommends in Self Sabotage Mindset Video Part 2, as well as continuing to follow the 12WBT steps to creating healthy exercise and eating habits.
Also read: Self-Sabotage: Is YOUR Behaviour Holding You Back?
If you still find that you’re still self sabotaging, and not sticking the 12WBT Exercise and Meal Plans, consider working with a specialist in the area of subconscious retraining and re-patterning.
