“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't – you're right” (Henry Ford)
I truly believe in this. That’s why, no matter what your health goals are, I like to spend the first coaching sessions working on your mindset.
Having said that, I also believe in the power of creating a ‘commitment device’ to reach your goals.
What is a commitment device?
In ‘Atomic Habits’ - a book I can recommend, by the way - James Clear defines it as “a choice you make in the present that controls your actions in the future [...], a way to lock in future behaviour, bind you to good habits, and restrict you from bad ones.”
The idea is to create an environment that makes it easy to act in the desired way, and hard to stick to the current bad habits you want to change. To protect you from falling victim to your own temptations in a way.
An example would be to add a time limit to certain apps on your phone (I have some for all social media apps) or to prepare a healthy snack in the morning that you will see when you open the fridge at 4pm instead of just getting a slice of cheese or a piece of the leftover Christmas cake. Mindset matters. But it is just as important to set you up for success by creating the right environment.
Think about one health and wellness goal you have set for yourself. This can be related to your eating habits, sleep, movement, productivity, relationships, finances, overall happiness etc.
What is one step you can take this week that will make it easier for you to put in place the new good habit you would like to create and to break the bad habit you would like to change?
You could unsubscribe from emails that just spam your inbox, turn off social media notifications or mute group chats (productivity). Put cookies, chocolate and other sweets in a cupboard that is hard to reach (nutrition). And put your workout clothes next to your bed so that they are the first thing you see when you wake up in the morning (movement).
These are just a few examples. Let me know which actions you will take. Even writing them down will add some accountability.
And if you would like more support, just contact me ;)
