How do you eat an Elephant?

People the world over are failing themselves. They are failing to put themselves first, to take care of their health, and to thrive instead of just survive. I know I can attest to times where I have been too busy and too wrapped up in unimportant stuff to take care of myself. But, what I also know is that when I do put myself first, and I focus on why I want something in the first place, good things happen.

Have you ever started something that got you motivated and excited to achieve? Silly question. Of course you have! Has that same goal also gone unachieved because somewhere in the middle you lost your way, motivation left you and you gave up? I would guess yes. It’s so easy to get lost in the middle. Especially now when we are given instant gratification on a daily, and maybe even hourly basis. Understanding why we fail regularly, is the first step to achieving all that you set out to do!

1. We fail to plan - Mark my words, anything worth having will get hard. There will be days when you don't feel like it, or your day falls apart, or your significant other lets you down, or your kids meltdown and ruin plans. The upcoming days will not go smoothly. By realizing this now, you can decide how you want to respond when shit hits the fan.
What does your backup workout look like when miss going to the gym? What snacks can you have on hand to fuel your body so it will thank you later? How will you stick to your daily meditation when your day gets shaken up with unforeseen circumstances? Spend some time today, giving yourself a plan B or even plan C to make sure you're achieving what you want Every. Single. Day. regardless of what gets thrown at you.

2. We don't clarify our WHY - This might seem unimportant and you may think you know why you  want to achieve a certain target. But, I want you to dig a little deeper. For example, why do you want commit to your health? If your answer is to feel healthier, ask yourself why? Keep asking why to your answer till you get down to the nitty gritty. It could be to set a fantastic example to your kids. It doesn't matter what your WHY is, but it does matter that you understand that this is what you're going to fall back on when the going gets tough. This answer is what should keep you going when it seems like everyone and everything is conspiring against you.

3. We focus on the end result and misjudge the journey - I love big hairy audacious goals or BHAG's. I love the thought of achieving these things that seem impossible. But what can derail me and many others isn't the setting of the goals, but taking the actual steps to achieve them day in and day out. Realizing the journey between starting and achieving is going to be long, arduous and fraught with failure is going to be the best thing you can do for yourself. Consistent action taken over time will ALWAYS win when compared to big, flashy short term shows of dedication. This is why binge diets don't work. This is why comparing yourself to others on social media doesn't work (you don't know their story and how long it's taken them to look a certain way). This is why so many people find it hard to actually achieve their long term goals. They aren't willing to commit to themselves even when it seems results aren't happening, when there is a set back, or when it all seems to hard. To be honest this has always been the hardest thing to wrap my head around and I think it will always be the case. I want things to happen yesterday, but remembering to focus on daily action steps will always move you towards your goal, even when it seems like it’s not.

Achieving something that you set out to do can be the most rewarding thing ever! On the flip side, not achieving something that you said you wanted can be devastating. Each day you get out of bed, you get to commit to yourself and your goals, regardless of what happened yesterday. Take consistent action and over time you will have the life you’ve always dreamed of.

I heard this saying a couple of weeks ago and really loved it. I think that it's pertinent to why we fail and is the title of this blog post, even though it seems kinda abstract... How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.
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Do you have any other thoughts about why people fail? I would love to hear them! Share them below.

Peace, Love and Wellness

Dr. Liz