Knowledge is power. Is that true? It is, when knowledge is put into action and applied towards achieving a desired outcome. But in and of itself it can do nothing. For example, achieving a weight loss goal is determined not by reading this blog post or a best-selling book, listening to a podcast or motivational speaker, but by what you do with the information, how you choose to act on it.
Most people I know have the information they need to reach their goals, and they have easy access to more if they need it. Knowledge is not in short supply.
So, why doesn’t everyone do what they know they need to do if they want to reach their goals? Alternatively, why do they do the things they know won’t help them be successful but actually undermine their efforts?
I admit that’s a big nut to crack which takes more space than you care to read here. Let me boil it down to this: your thoughts impact everything. Here’s the problem:
- You get on the scale and are unhappy with your progress. You tell yourself “this isn’t working; I’ll never reach my weight loss goal” and proceed to sabotage your good habits that day. That one thought takes you down a path of doing the very things you don’t want to do, and not the ones you do.
- You’re stressed and tell yourself “I’m too busy to make any changes. As soon as I have more time, then I’ll start…” This thought keeps you stuck in all-or-nothing, and you never get started. Or if you do, you stop the minute challenges arise.
- You look at your past, failed efforts at weight loss (BTW, this is true for any area of life) and can’t see how or why it will be different this time. And so, it isn’t. That thought, not any flaw in your abilities or genes, keeps you from achieving your goals.
Yes, books, podcasts and conferences are awesome and helpful. The key is in the application. So, if the problem is your thoughts, the solution is also your thoughts. You get to choose what it means when the scale doesn’t budge, when your schedule is full or when you’ve failed at something in the past (and, who hasn’t). It’s completely up to you.
Will you tell a story that keeps you stuck, recycling tales of why it won’t work and asking questions like “what’s wrong with me”? Or will you tell a story that speaks of your amazingness, and your ability to get and apply the information and resources you need to achieve whatever you want?
It’s that simple.
Both are possible right now. What’s your choice?