Train Your Brain To Reach Your Goals

Most of us understand that getting exercise and eating a healthy diet are necessary to have a fit and healthy body, but even with that knowledge many of us still find it hard to reach our goals. The key to success may lie in a different area that is often ignored in our fitness plans: Training the brain.

Negative thought patterns can derail your best efforts. But once you learn to identify errors in your thinking you can then train your brain to behave differently. Here's an example.



The Thinking Error:
"I can't work out today because it's _____________(insert weather description here: Raining, too hot, too humid, too cold)".

The Faulty Foundation of This Thinking:
While it may be true that you think the weather is bad or good, the fact is - the weather itself is neither bad nor good, it's your attitude towards the weather that is bad or good. Rain is just rain, and we are powerless to change it. Nothing bad happens to you when you exercise in the rain. Although we do not have the ability to change the weather, we do have the ability to change our attitude. Using the weather as an excuse to avoid exercise is just that - an excuse.

Understanding the Process of Change
Change is something that involves effort and some level of discomfort. You cannot make a change without experiencing some discomfort, whether it is physical or psychological. If you allow yourself to believe that you can reach your goals without some discomfort, you are never going to reach your goals.


How to Develop a New Thinking Pattern

Step 1: Awareness
The first step in overcoming a negative thinking pattern is to become aware of your thoughts. Try to identify which thoughts you have that will keep you from your goals. At first you may not catch it in time, and you may act on your negative thoughs, and realize it later on. That's OK. Even if you catch it after the fact, at least you are beginning to see the destructive pattern at work. One method to raise your awareness is using reminders. Stick a Post-It note on your bathroom mirror to help you identify your negative patterns.

Step 2: Practice and Support
It takes several weeks to build a new habit. Be patient with yourself. Understand that it has taken many years to establish your thinking patterns. It's also helpful to understand that many thinking patterns are reinforced by the people around us. Not only will you need to recognize and change your own thinking, you should also ask for people in your life to support your new habits. Educate the people in your life about your goals and ask them to help identify when your negative thinking is at work. Who knows, they might even begin to notice their own negative patterns as a result!

Step 3: Replacing Negative Patterns
As you practice changing your thinking, you will begin to catch thoughts as they arise. When you catch yourself in your old negative pattern, simply replace it with a more productive one. As the negative thoughts arise, ask yourself the question: "How does this thinking help me reach my goals?" Invariably, negative thinking patterns do not help you at all. Make a list of your patterns, and then create a new list of more productive ways to think.

Here are some examples of statements that could replace your negative patterns:

• I will never change if I keep doing the same things I've always done. Humans evolved to follow the path of least resistance. We move away from pain, and move towards things that are pleasant. Following the easy path will get me the same results as I have always gotten. But I have decided to change. I choose to think in a more rational and productive way so I can reach my goals.
  

• If others can do this, so can I. I am no different than other people. Many people enjoy exercising in all types of weather. Just like them, I will not allow the weather to keep me from my goals.
  

• It's OK for me to feel discomfort. I am dedicated to reaching my fitness goals. I understand that I will never reach my goals unless I make changes. I choose temporary discomfort now, knowing that it will help me reach my goals.
  

• I don't have to do this alone. Especially in the beginning, I may need support from others to help me reach my goals. I will ask for help and support, and try to surround myself with people who are willing to push me to do things that benefit me.
  

Step 4: Act on Positive Patterns
Once you have learned to think in a more positive and rational manner, it's important to ACT on it! We can't reach our goals just by thinking about them. Get out and do your workout, rain or shine, hot or cold.

Remember - having a fit body requires training. Developing productive thinking also requires training. It just takes practice.

Have fun changing your thinking!