Recently I hired a trainer to help me workout (yes, I think if you are a coach or trainer you hire coaches and trainers on occasion!) My reason for wanting one was simple:
I had formed some limiting beliefs about being in the gym, that I needed help getting over.
I needed help creating a strategy where I could measure results.
I wanted a system that would help me be persistent and successful in my current lifestyle.
See in the latter part of 1993 to 2003 I was a POWERHOUSE in the gym. And with change in my life: moving, love, travel for business, growing my own business, tragedy… I stopped working out. Of course, when we started we took measurements and weighed in. Here is what happened 30 days later at weigh in and some of my thoughts around it:
So what’s the point? Remember the Calla Lily blog? Right now, in this part of my life, I am the Calla Lily. You may be the Calla Lily in some part of your life as well. Maybe it’s working out regularly, like with me. Maybe it’s in growing a business. You have to ask yourself:
- Am I dealing with my limiting beliefs around this subject?
- Have I created a strategy that helps me measure results?
- If I don’t immediately get the results I desire, what system have I created to be persistent and eventually successful?
Too often people quit WAY too soon. As Jeff Olsen of The Slight Edge says: “Success is the continuous movement toward a worthy goal or ideal.”
What challenges are you facing where you need to stick to your plan right now?
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
Inspiring. On many levels.
Beautiful analogy. We have Iris’ from my grandmothers garden that have travelled many miles with our family and they continue to bloom, wherever they are planted. As do we, if we let ourselves…
patience and waiting for results is always something that I struggle with — I want results now! In my new business venture — I am struggling with wanting to go from 0 – 100 now!
Thank you for the vlog — it is always comforting to hear how someone else is struggling with similar limiting beliefs.
p.s. just quit my trainer b/c I was not seeing results fast enough – I know = terrible! Rachel
Oh boy so many challenges right now as 2011 really has thrown a few curve balls at me so far. My strategy right now is to keep going and look at the little positives. Luckily I’m a pretty determined person and don’t give up too easily – I’m pretty persistent you could say. So, even though I’ve had a few challenges in my AuPair business and lost a couple of families I can see that my sales are going well and I shall find new host families. I can also see that it’s not a race to get the word out about Social Networking Coaching Club and, while the other challenges have meant I couldn’t throw myself into that as much as I planned, I shall keep going and work on it in smaller ways until I clear up the other issues. Thanks – and I love the Calla Lily analogy – really memorable to me.
Louise Edington
Facing Fears For Freedom
http://louiseedington.com
it’s so easy to want to “give up” and “start over later” when those curve balls come. Honestly that is what happened with my exercise-going on the road to speak made it hard to me to workout. It was a huge curve ball. Our house bringing down, huge curve ball. I think what I have learned is to be aware emotionally of what’s happening so I don’t quit.
Wow, with me it’s keeping focussed whenever I need to be. And this is something that needs working on each day. The other thing I broke through yesterday as I started going to a new kundalini yoga class in town, so now I’m committing to going every week. Thanks for a great post Ann.
Fiona Stolze
http://fionastolze.wordpress.com
Had a similar epiphany about the growth of my business this week…it is growing but I wasn’t acknowledging it because it wasn’t at the level I want it to be at…patience and persistence please.
Darcie Newton
Wine, not whine. Nature not nurture. Discipline for profit, none for cheese.
http://mywealthspa.com
Thanks Ann. I needed a kick in the pants
Hi Ann,
Thanks for this wonderful message. Several points are important to me. First, like you say, Persistence is the key. It’s a habit we can successfully develop, slowly and surely, by tracking whatever developments we can find, whether or not they’re baby steps or a preliminary version of our full-blown final goal.
Next, your vlog about the Calla Lillies is yet another reminder (I get them all the time) that the life force of living things is remarkable. Nearly unquenchable — like one of Newton’s Laws of Motion (a body at rest tends to stay at rest, and a body in motion tends to stay in motion), life itself hangs by a slender but STRONG thread. There’s a lesson for all of us, to never give up. The metaphor of patiently tending the farm has been used to great advantage by Steven Covey and many others.
Finally, your suggesting a coach (or mentor) is so important, to help us confront our limiting beliefs and craft a program to systematically get past them.
My main challenge these days is finding enough time to do everything I’d like, as well as do everything I must. It’s a nice problem to have — way better than having nothing worthwhile to do — and I’m constantly re-prioritizing.
I love the message of persistence because I think there are so many messages going out there to expect change much bigger and much faster than it really comes (And The Biggest Loser is, I think, potentially very harmful in what it depicts as an approach…) Anything that’s important is worth patience. I see so many people dropping out of the gym too quickly. I was fortunate to know that sticking with my workouts was critical for my long-term health and function, and I didn’t let slow “numbers” discourage me.
My challenge now is in writing, and sticking with my book project. I model myself after my gym approach–daily, committed, accepting the pace that comes as long as I persist in my efforts.
Thanks for another great blog and an important message.
Judy Stone-Goldman
The Reflective Writer
I don’t know that I’d say that about biggest loser, I think what we forget that they get 3 months to do nothing else. They workout 4-6 hours a day! Give me that time and it would be a piece of cake to get in shape! And honestly because I don’t have the unhealthy food issues, it would be easy to maintain at home. Triple my time on a new project the same would be true.
Persistence is something both my husband and I can relate to in terms of our business, and I can relate to in terms of our marriage and in terms of my own desires for becoming who I want to be. And it is so not easy! I do have those limiting beliefs that I am attempting to see as lies, and also trying to have the patience that is needed, something those around me are often lacking! It is so important to look back and see where we have come from, what we have accomplished and where we may have failed but did not give up! and even though there are days when I think “it should have happened by now! maybe I am foolish to stick with this”, something always reminds me that light and victory are just ahead — a comment, something I read, something I hear on TV, something on Facebook, someone who comes into my life at that moment, seeing this VLog!, etc. So amazing! I am very grateful for how God works in my life!
First of all…congrats for your commitment and persistence in taking care of yourself. And yes, I too was hoping for instant results with my fitness resolution this year, and while slowly happening, not as fast as I would like either. I do know persistence is key and I so appreciate this message, at this time today! Thanks
Irene,
I believe that persistence pays off gradually. Perhaps you should try marking down goals to help keep you motivated, step by gradual step. Best of luck! 🙂
I happen to know Irene quite well Josh and she is an amazing goal setter and part of the SLO movement. Over the years I have watched her achieved amazing things!
🙂
So inspiring! I am determined to get in shape after a long, long hiatus. There were several limiting beliefs surrounding this decision and it takes daily effort to keep them at bay!
Merlyn,
The longer you put it off, the harder it gets. 🙂
Ann you inspire me with your determination. I have learned of late how much persistance rewards. Learning social media, luckily through your Social Media Coaching club, has been like being going back to grade school. All fingers and thumbs and then all of a sudden, breakthrough! What a high. What seems daunting at first, bit by bit becomes possible. I am learning to let myself focus on one thing at a time, instead of trying to do it all. Funny I always thought that was weak, now I see how powerful it is. Exactly how I pull client’s homes together, foundation first, logical, measured motion.
Jennifer Duchene
Home Makeover Mixtress blending lifestyle and laughter
http://LYShome.com
I recently hired a coach (not a fitness coach, but same reasoning) to help me shape my business. I realized that I needed someone to keep me on track and to keep me accountable. With fitness my goal is to exercise 3-4 times a week. I’ve been doing more exercise for about 6 months with the goal to lose 10 pounds and my weight has stayed stubbornly in the same place (as it has for the last 5 years), however I’m noticing my clothes are fitting a bit better, so your reminder about persistence and patience and celebrating the win was great!
Kathy,
I like how you admit you needed someone to keep you accountable in your business. It can be so easy to say “Oh, I will do it tomorrow” and then not do it.
By holding yourself accountable to others, you have a drastic change in mindset. I have completed so many more projects as a result of telling others of my goals, ideas and vision!
Thanks Josh. Yes writing it down is the first step to reality … and telling someone takes it to a whole new level of accountability!
Yes, it’s SO powerful! 🙂
I too used to be VERY committed to fitness. I used to do it for “the look” alone and now (as I am getting older) do it for the purpose of overall health. Thanks for the reminder about not giving up because now that I have toned (like the pun) down my commitment to be one of balance the results are not so quick. Rock on girl!
I actually found the gym in 1986 due to health issues caused by stress, very empowering to learn I could fix with weight lifting!
Hi Ann,
I LOVE your last four words….”you don’t give up”. With regard to fitness, it really is about persistence and gradual lifestyle change. The “intangibles” you’re currently experiencing (more energy, better sleep and improved focus) show that you’re approaching your re-entry into fitness intelligently (kudos to you and your trainer!). You’re not exhausted, hungry and cranky—which might be the case if you were doing too much too soon in your nutrition and exercise program.
As a professional fitness trainer for over 25 years, I don’t even do re-assessments at the 4-week mark. The reason? My approach is lifestyle based in which I create a nutrition and exercise program that a person can actually LIVE with. Not a crazy, massive exercise and severe dieting approach that gets extreme results in a few weeks. Most humans can’t stick with that (and we’ve seen that numerous times with “Biggest Loser” contestants). I believe in another 4-6 weeks, at your 8-12 week mark, you’ll see those numbers changing :-).
I applaud you for sharing your results and experiences thus far. I think you’re right on track. Keep doing what your doing and the results you want will come–and you will have created a fitness lifestyle you can maintain and live with forever.
Wishing you continued success!
Becky Williamson
http://www.lifesportfitness.net
Managing your emotions is an essential part of change and you bring up several points to do so: awareness, accurate assessment, goal adjustment, and persistence.. Oh and not beating yourself up fits in there as well. Thanks Ann.