“Design trumps willpower.” B.J Fogg
How many times have you set a goal, decided what actions you need to take and then by the next day already failed to follow through….and then blame it on lack of motivation?
‘I’m just not motivated enough’ you say…. 🙁
The fact is that motivation is not a personality trait. It’s not something some people are born with and some people simply aren’t.
If you really want to make a change in your life, whether it be with your health, your relationship or your finances there is one super simple thing you need to do…
You need to MAKE A DECISION.
When you aren’t 100% committed to something, then in every situation this ‘something’ comes up, you have a decision to make, because you are still unsure what you are going to do.
THIS burns out willpower because, as you probably already know by experience, if you haven’t made a decision, the situation usually wins because human behaviour usually defaults to what is easiest and most convenient.
- Do I eat the cookie or not?
- Do I wake up early today or sleep in?
- Do I exercise now or later?
- Do I floss my teeth today or not?
Who knows? They certainly don’t know and this is why willpower gets exhausted.
That is why making a decision prior to entering into a situation is so important. The opposite of decision fatigue is simply making a decision. You no longer have to think about it because you already know what you are going to do. You cut off alternative options.
This is why hiring a trainer helps so many people stick to an exercise program. The decision hasn’t been made to workout, what has been made is the decision to stick to an appointment you paid for and committed to. Can’t hire a personal trainer? Find a friend who you don’t want to let down.
It really doesn’t matter what strategy you employ you only have two simple steps to follow once you have gotten CLARITY on your goal.
- Step 1: DECIDE what action steps you need to take in order to get there.
- Step 2: FOLLOW THROUGH 100%.
Your life and what you do with it is in your hands. But you have to make the decision.
Happy Sunday everyone! Christine
