The last couple of months have seen a huge influx of new faces at into the DF programme. It’s great, because serving more people gives me greater clarity on what separates people who go on to achieve the body and fitness goals they set out to achieve, and those who fail.
Those who really accelerate have several traits in common. And in today’s post I want to share one of those traits with you.
One of the biggest questions you can ask yourself:
“Am I taking personal responsibility for my results?”
Let me back up a little.
I didn’t have the most positive view of the world growing up. I believed that the world owed me a living. And that I wasn’t as successful as other people because they were lucky.
It was okay for them. They didn’t have my limitations. They already had money. They had contacts. They had friends in high places.
The ‘it’s ok for them’ mindset kept me stuck for a long time. Because the whole time I believed that my circumstances dictated my results I was powerless to do anything about it.
Looking back I realise I saw myself as a victim of the world. And as a victim I had no power to change anything. Things happened to me that I had no control over. I was working a bar job, getting deeper and deeper in personal debt, buying stuff I didn’t need to impress people I didn’t even like.
Then listening to a Brian Tracy audiobook (the luck factor) helped me get my crap together.
I was at rock bottom for the second time in my life. Willing to do whatever it took.
And hearing Brian Tracy talk about how you’re responsible for your situation, good – or – bad was completely new to me.
I’d been looking anywhere but myself to rationalise why I wasn’t happy with my life. But what Brian was trying to drill home was that it wasn’t my circumstances that dictated how much progress I made.
If I wanted to be more successful then I had to step up and take responsibility for my situation. If I wanted things to be different then it was up to me to make it happen. And If I wasn’t happy in my life then I was 100% to blame.
Ouch.
I’d been pointing my finger at everything but me for as long as I could remember. It was all I knew how to do.
Once I’d got over myself and picked my pride up off the ground I realized that this was a revelation.
If it was me who got me into this situation it would be me who’d get me out of it. I didn’t have to wait for someone to come along and spot my talent and offer me a dream job. If I wanted that dream job I had to 1. know what it was I was looking for and 2. take responsibility for going after it.
I had to become responsible for developing myself, and working on becoming the person I needed to be to live the kind of life I wanted to live (at the time I didn’t know what that was… I just didn’t want the life I had anymore. BIG part of the problem).
I don’t bring up personal responsibility to give you another thing to beat yourself up over. That’s the last thing you need.
I say it because once you take full responsibility for where you are right now –and embrace the idea that you are 100% responsible for where you’re at – you put yourself in a strong position.
Once you admit you’re responsible you’re back in control. Because no matter what happens to you (and there will be much stuff that happens to you) you are always free to choose how you respond to it.
If you want to get away from having a body you’re not happy with you have to commit right now to doing the stuff that’ll turn your body into one you’re proud of.
If that’s fit, lean and toned then what would that person have to do? Exercise? Eat well? Get to bed on time? Drink water? Yep, all that stuff.
But first and foremost they’d need to commit to becoming the kind of person who has earned the body they want.
Tell me, what would that fit, lean and lovely person be doing today?
Now go do that 🙂
I’ve noticed the same trait of personal responsibility in the clients who succeed on the DF programme. Two clients can have the same challenge; half term and the kids are off.
Person 1 says the school is making it half term, so I’m not going to be able to train this week. Essentially they’re saying it’s the schools fault that they’re not going to make progress this week.
As a result they stay stuck, get demotivated and – usually – fall of the wagon for a month or two.
Person 2 realises half term is coming up. But their goals are important to them, and they don’t want to lose momentum. They realise that while school is closing, it’s up to them to do something about it.
So they ask for a home workout they can do in the mornings (just for 10 minutes) to keep the mind focused and results ticking over.
Person 1&2 had the same challenge (half term). But only person 2 took responsibility for their results and found a way to keep moving forward.
Stuff comes up. Challenges happen. Always have and always will. Your power lies in choosing how you respond. And it’s ALWAYS your choice to make.
Are you going to be that person who keeps blaming the kids, the unsupportive husband, the friends that temp you, the weather, the traffic the… whatever (took me the best part of 25 years to not be that person).
Or are you going to be the person who takes responsibility for what they’re looking to achieve. And faces each challenge that comes up with a considered choice:
To do what’s easy (and blame something/someone else) and stay stuck. Or to step up, take responsibility and do what’ll help you move forward towards your goals?
If you’re still stuck in the ‘It’s hard for me because…’ mindset then we’re waiting for you to rise up. And we’ll be here to help when you do.
If you’re ready to take responsibility then we’re 100% here for you. To support you, guide you and help you make your dream body a reality. Apply for a consultation to chat with us about your goals and let’s get you moving one step closer to getting you and your body to a place you feel proud of.
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