Many people are waiting for motivation to start with a healthier lifestyle, but it is the commitment that will get results.
What is the difference between commitment and motivation?
Commitment comes from your logical brain, whereas motivation is driven by emotions. As we all know emotions can change very quickly. That is why your motivation can disappear very quickly.
Motivation depends quite often on your overall mental wellbeing. If you are in great form, you are more likely to feel motivated.
I have written in other blogs lately about how the right nutrition can influence our overall mental wellbeing and with that our motivation.
The feeling of motivation is what generally sparks the decision “I am going to take action now” to make some positive changes.
However, this can change very quickly into “O no, this is hard work” or “this is going to be so much effort” or “I don’t really want to give up chocolate and cakes”.
What will get you through those sabotaging thoughts is commitment.
Commitment is defined as a willingness to give your time and energy to something that you believe in, or a promise or firm decision to do something.
Here are a few quotes on “commitment”:
“Motivation is what gets you started. Commitment is what keeps you going.” Jim Rohn
“Most people fail not because of a lack of desire but because of a lack of commitment.” Vince Lombardi
“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results.” Kenneth Blanchard
And my favourite:
“Commitment means staying loyal to what you said you were going to do long after the mood you said it in has left you.” (Anonymous)
What has all this got to do with a healthy lifestyle?
When I tell people what I work at, a lot of them tell me that they like to lose a bit of weight, or they tell me about some health issue they’ve been struggling with for a while or that they don’t have the energy anymore they used to have – and that they know they should be doing something about it.
But then they blame their lack of willpower, motivation, and fear, or not knowing what recommendations to trust. Or they think there is nothing that can be done. Or that making changes will be hard and healthy eating will mean deprivation. Or they think they are eating a diet that is not that bad anyway.
Asking for help with your nutrition is not yet as common as going to a physiotherapist or an acupuncturist, but I am convinced it will be soon, once word spreads that we are here to help.
Of course, you can make a commitment to yourself when you decide to follow better lifestyle choices. But as everything in life it is so much easier when you are getting help and support from someone who has been there and knows what they are talking about.
That is exactly what you are doing by booking a programme with a Nutritional Therapist. You are making a commitment in the same way as you do when you go to a gym for example. And then you are getting the support and tips and explanations and clarity of what is best for you.
By paying a fee, you are making a commitment, but you also value what the practitioner has to offer and you put value on your health. You are investing in your health.
You turn up to each appointment because you’ve paid for it and because you are committed to improving your health. You are being held accountable for.
But not like it was in school, that you were being punished when you didn’t do your homework! We talk through what happened. I help you tease out where you are struggling and why, so that you can avoid those pitfalls the next time. But interestingly enough, there is very little struggle, as we usually agree on a plan. I’m not just telling my clients WHAT to do, we work it out together, finding compromises between what will help and what fits into my client’s lifestyle.
This is why commitment gets you results!
How do you commit successfully?
– Pay for a service. Having paid for a programme or membership means that you are valuing what you are getting.
– Write it into your diary. Making a fixed appointment or writing down what you are going to have for dinner, brings it into your conscious mind and it becomes already more “real” and a “need” to do it.
– Being held accountable for by someone else. You can hold yourself accountable for your actions, but this is generally very hard to do and not often successful. This is why so many people say they really want to eat well, but are still struggling. Having someone to report to each week or each month, is more likely to make you stick to what you said you would do. This is the reason why so many people join a gym and don’t rely on training for themselves. And it’s the same with nutrition. If you are struggling, get the support!
Do you want to see results? Do you want to feel better and have a better understanding of what you can do right now?
I have opened up a few appointments for discovery calls until the end of September. Why don’t you book in and find out more?
