Weight loss advice hits us from all sides. Eliminate carbs and get motivated. Take this pill and buy this exercise equipment. Join a gym, eat more protein, use this app, fast every other day, don’t eat after 6pm. It’s endless. Some of it may be helpful but in my opinion it over complicates a simple truth: weight loss requires a calorie deficit over an extended period of time. We lose sight of this in the process of chasing all the false shortcuts.
My biggest source of frustration comes from advice that suggests that someone isn’t disciplined or motivated enough. A commonly held view about discipline is that it’s the ability to make yourself do hard things. To me discipline means doing the things that you don’t want to do. On the surface there is no apparent difference. But the things we don’t want to do are rarely hard.
It’s not difficulty that makes us lack discipline it’s a failure to execute. This means realistic planning, prioritizing, scheduling and preparation are where we actually fall short. When these things are not taken into account someone may appear undisciplined but really they are just unprepared. Saying that they’re not disciplined doesn’t result in any productive steps to become more prepared in the future.
Now on to motivation. I can’t stand to hear people tell others that they’re falling short because they’re not motivated enough. Ask anyone who is successful in their field whether they feel motivated very often. What you’re going to learn is that their baseline motivation is probably going to be quite average. People who appear very motivated on the outside usually have a good process in place that is easy for them to follow.
Sticking to a process yields impressive results in the long run. And if someone has impressive results they appear really motivated! Sure there is always motivation in play but it’s rarely the driving force for success. Sticking to a well laid out process produces positive outcomes more times than not.
Stop listening to all the weight loss advice that comes your way and turn your focus inward. Develop a well thought out process that works for you. Sticking to this process will give you the results you’re looking for in the long run. Then you will be the one who gets asked for advice!
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