We all know exercise and eating better will do wonders for our health. With all that life entails though, it’s easy for these things to be pushed to the side. We become more focused on our jobs or our families, instead of making time to better ourselves.
When we actually do schedule gym time or plan our meals, it can be tough to be consistent. This can cause us to lose interest very quickly, slowing any future progress.
But what if there was a way to make things easier, where inconsistency isn’t something you constantly have to battle through. Is that even possible? The answer is yes!
I listened to a TED talk recently that was forwarded to me by a client. Emily Balcetis, a social psychologist at NYU, delivered the talk. If you want to watch it click here.
In this talk, Emily mentions that people can see the world very differently. Her theory was that some people can see exercise as very challenging while others see it as something easy or fun. The former can affect our mindset and derail any effort that you put forth.
Her research led her to find that a person’s waist-to-hip ratio was associated with how they perceived their environment. Waist-to-hip ratio is a measure of health. The higher it is the less physically fit an individual is.
They conducted a simple test where they told a group of people they would walk to a finish line with added weights to their body. Beforehand, they asked the group what they thought the distance to the finish line was. Those who had a higher waist-to-hip ratio said the distance was further than it actually was. Those with a smaller waist-to-hip ratio saw it as closer.
So, the individuals who were not as fit actually thought the exercise was more difficult than it was. This is probably one of the reasons why many who are out of shape lose interest with exercise more quickly. To them it is more challenging, making it harder.
To take this a step further, Emily and her team wanted to see if they could improve the way an individual perceives things. They had a group walk to the finish line wearing ankle weights. They told this group they wanted them to focus their attention on the finish line and make everything around the finish line blurry.
The found that this made the exercise look easier, by 30% in fact. They also found the individuals completed the exercise faster (by 23%) and it actually felt easier (by 17%) when compared to a baseline group who were not told to focus on the finish line. This simple task of staying focus on the end goal made a huge difference.
So, what does all of this tell us?
The first thing it tells us is that we must focus on our objective. If we lose that focus the task feels harder and we are more than likely not going to complete it.
The second thing is how we see things drives what we actually do. If see a task as difficult, we probably won’t complete it. But the opposite is also true. If we perceive the task as easy, it makes us more capable of doing it.
Now, how do you apply this in the real world?
1. Create a real, attainable, specific goal.
When I start working with a new client, I always ask them what their goals are. Most of the time I hear something to the effect of “lose weight” or “feel better”. The problem with these goals is that they are vague.
If you want to lose weight, start by determining how much weight, when you need to lose the weight by, and why it is important to you. If you do that, you now have a tangible, measurable goal. Only when you do this, can you narrow in your focus.
2. When things get hard, remember your goal.
There will always be days where you feel capable of doing anything and then there will be days where you feel as if it’s impossible. In times like these, remember why you chose your goal in the first place. Remember why it is important to you. By doing this, you again narrow in your focus and are more likely to stay on track.
3. Be positive about your task at hand.
If your goal is to drop two clothing sizes, nutrition will obviously play a big role. Instead of thinking negatively (I can’t eat anything I want with this new diet), think positively (this new diet is going to help me fit into that new outfit).
In this study, we saw how perception dictates how we behave. If we are constantly thinking negatively, we will be in that state of mind. Even though something is challenging, try thinking about the positives. It makes things much easier and you will be more apt to complete the task.
Wrapping Up
I hope this article helps you see how important our perception and mindset are for consistency. These things must be taken into account if you want to be successful. A negative mindset leads to a poor outcome. Be positive, focus on your goal, and you will be prepared to accomplish all you set out to.
Photo credit: http://thewholerealm.com/2012/01/
