Wanting vs Committing

There is a difference between wanting something and actually committing to it. Wanting something feels fairly safe, and perhaps, even a little noble. Committing to something is very different.

It feels different when you say the words, "I'll want to or I'll try." See how that feels when you say those words out loud. Eh. It's kind of weak isn't it? Now, say, "I am committed. I will get it done." Now, how does that feel? Very different. Strong and powerful, yes? How do you really want to feel when it comes to your health?

I have had clients tell me that they just want their bodies to be in alignment with who they know they are inside. They are successful leaders, but don't think that they look like one.  They desperately want to lose weight. There is nothing wrong with wanting to lose weight. That's where it all starts. But the issue is that wanting really requires no effort at all. You don't have to move forward, you can keep wanting for years and years. And, wanting without committing, doesn't really feel all that great in the end.

Think about something that you have wanted and also committed to. It could have been schooling, or a relationship, or landing that unattainable client. When you hit a snag, you figured a way around it because you didn't just want it, you were committed to getting it. So, you have already wanted and committed to something therefore, we know you have the skill. You just  need to learn how to apply it to your health goals.

What many of us do is say we are committed to losing body fat or increasing lean muscle mass and then start a program to do just that. Then, we hit a bump in the road. It can be a minor bump like not making it to the grocery store, or a meeting going over time, or finding yourself with that person who always pressures you to have just one more. The form or size of the "bump" doesn't really matter at all. But when you hit that bump, it will quickly become apparent whether you just wanted to start a program or whether you were committed to the result.

Imagine a literal bump in the middle of the road.  Life just put it there and you have to go over it.  You go over it and just beyond that bump is a fork in the road. There is a sign to the left that says Want. To the right is a sign that says Commit.  The major question now is which way are you going to go?  It is time to decide what you are going to make the bump mean.

As you stand there, your brain will urge you to go to the left. It will be saying things like, "I knew this was never going to work. My life is too crazy. This always happens. I am too busy, stressed, tired, bored, to keep this up. " And, then there is the voice that I hear all too often from clients (and within my own head), "I deserve a break."

Alternatively, our brains are also wired in such a way that the other voice, the one that could be encouraging us to choose the right fork in the road will not speak up at all unless we are committed. The reason for this is that when we are trying to create new habits, we are literally rewiring our brains. Our brain isn't currently wired to choose the right path. That's why it takes committment.

It's difficult to describe the feeling of commitment, but you know what it feels like. It feels solid, loyal, faithful and strong. It is powerful. It is the energy that puts our brains to work figuring out how to get over the bump and keep on moving down the right side of the road. You have experienced choosing the right path before.

This fork in the road will, 100% guaranteed, present itself over and over again. It will provide you the opportunity to decide again and again if you simply want a healthier body or if you are committed to creating it. It is here where you will learn how to watch the stories that your brain, very innocently, offers up urging  you to choose an easier path. It is right at this fork where you will master the skill of of summoning your commitment. 

PS: If your mind ever offers up that old, "I deserve it" line, in an attempt to get you to eat or drink or do something that goes against your result, feel free to respond to it with, "Yes, I do deserve IT! I deserve a long, healthy and prosperous life. And, I am committed to getting it right now. Thanks for reminding me."