Mindset, Movement, and Maintenance
Complex, not Complicated
A wise physiologist once said that the body is COMPLEX, not COMPLICATED. What a hopeful and powerful statement! The advanced world that we live in provides solutions to our most challenging issues at the speed of a google search, costing us nothing more than an investment of time and energy. That being said, the AMOUNT of contradictory information available to someone looking to improve their personal wellness is remarkable, often making the navigation of information and the ultimate discovery of solutions, a process that defies the wisdom of physiologists, it is both complex and absolutely complicated!! So many of us searching for solutions are left feeling confused and hopeless, despite, and at times even because of the tremendous volume of available info.
One of the questions that can can lead to a confusing set of contradictory answers, and one that I get asked time and time again is this:
With so many different voices speaking out, who do I look to and how do I start my own practice if I want to really step up my self care game?
Great Question. Let’s cut through the confusing mumbo-jumbo and side step the controversial topics that cause all the confusion. Let’s put first things first…
Let's lay out 3 foundation principles that have the integrity to carry any objectives you currently have in mind, including, “how do I start my own self-care practice?” They are Mindset, Movement and Maintenance.
Mindset
Did you know that 87% of individuals who set a goal to start an exercise program give it up within the first 67 days of making the commitment?! 67 days!! Do you want to know how to be a part of the 13% that stick with it? It all comes down to mindset
Decades ago In the field of behavioral psychology a research psychologist named Albert Bandura theorized that our individual identity; how we see ourselves and therefore how we view our capacity for accomplishing objectives (among other things), is determined largely by a pattern that begins with the observations and acknowledgement of others. If I tell my daughter from the time that she is just little that she has the most beautiful hair, and that statement is validated by others in their observation and communication with her, she will then begin to ACT as if she has the most beautiful hair. She will manicure it, wash it, condition it, brush it, and she will begin to BELIEVE that her hair is indeed the most beautiful hair. That belief will serve in the creation of a VISION that is seen in her mind; a vision that becomes tangible with time and repetition, eventually locks itself into her psyche as perceived identity. It becomes part of her vision, part of her belief, part of her action, part of who she IS.
OBSERVATION and COMMUNICATION lead to ACTION, which leads to a settled BELIEF, which leads to a VISION. The culmination of which creates the perceived IDENTITY. This theory has found its place universally in transformation and empowerment curriculum, backed now by years of evidence of efficacy in both clinical and environmental study.
Leveraging this knowledge is as simple as working this theory of becoming in reverse, beginning with VISION.
Whatever it is that we desire to do with our lives, whether it’s building a new business or building a new body, we’ve got to have more than just an idea; we’ve got to have a vision so distinct that we can read it from a page. That’s right, we’ve got to get it on paper.
Writing establishes one of the most powerful connections between our mind, soul and body that we have the potential to tap into. And it is the harmony between these elements of self that is required in order to be part of the 13% that succeeds in achieving the elusive fitness objectives. The REAL power that comes from putting it on paper is not magically bestowed when pen meets paper, it is harnessed when the words that you write are coming from your soul. You’ll know you’re there when what you write evokes emotion. We’ve got to FEEL what we are seeing in order to BELIEVE that we’ve got what it takes to do the hard work that is associated with the vision. Are you excited, are you joyful, are you driven and determined as you write and connect with your vision?? If you are then you’ve got it; you’ve got what it takes to follow through with ACTION. It is the action that is associated with the VISION that transforms us into the elevated and optimized versions of ourselves, and it is this change that will be OBSERVED and ACKNOWLEDGED by others and by ourselves, rounding out Bandura’s Theory in reverse.
These steps are not a “one and done” process. They are a DAILY process. It’s easy to side-step the difficult path of transformation when the energy of the vision is not present. Don’t let a day go by without connecting with it on paper and invoking the FEELINGS that are locked inside it. Truly harnessing the power of mindset is not easy, but it is simple and it is practical. Lock into the vision daily and do the work that presents itself.
Movement
Have you ever heard, “If you’re not moving toward your planned objectives then you’re moving away from them”? The body is always moving; never stagnant. Aligning your life with the desires you have for yourself, whether in the arena of fitness or anything else, is a matter of mindset first and then movement.
Movement is simply the ACTIONABLE steps that we identify when we get connected to the VISION. Regardless of where you are on your life journey, an honest look at where you would like to be will illuminate the path you need to take. If I see myself competing in Marathons and I’ve spent the last 4 years in college pursuing a degree and haven’t been capable of getting out on the road or even onto a treadmill then I know immediately that I need to get connected to a community that can help me initiate a safe practice that will get me to the starting line of my first marathon and eventually the finish line of the vision that I have of myself. If I want to get lean and fit so that I can teach my kids by example how to take care of their bodies, and my current condition is NOT lean and fit, then the actionable step that I need to take is one that provides education in things like nutrition, exercise and mentoring…
So movement follows mindset. Whatever the mind can conceive, the body can achieve. And the more specific the mindset, the more specific the movement that follows.
Maintenance
The final piece of our achievement foundation is the maintenance piece. As previously stated, we’re not talking about a “one and done” process. The MINDSET and MOVEMENT, or we might say, VISION and ACTION pieces require daily consideration, organization, refinement and adjusting. The maintenance piece is the dialing up and down of that process. The level of our maintenance will determine the level of our performance. The more structured and careful our maintenance process, the more sure we can be that we will be part of the 13% that see our objectives through to completion.
So, if you’re looking to get going in the arena of optimizing your personal fitness, lay a solid foundation with the 3 M’s:
