Spring 2006
In This Issue:
Just Show Up
We all know the famous Nike tag line, "Just do it." But putting that philosophy into practice is quite a bit harder than voicing this catchy phrase. People have lots of good intentions, but rarely are they able to put disciplined, long-lasting action behind them. As I’ve expanded the fitness aspect of my business, I’ve seen this trend even more clearly. People deeply desire to lose weight, decrease body fat, eat more healthfully and look more toned, but the harsh reality is that most want a quick fix. They come to a few cycling classes, eat well for a couple weeks, then go back to their old behaviors. Everyone who belongs to a gym knows that it’s packed in January with people briefly fulfilling their New Year’s resolutions, never to be seen again by February. The hard work is often just too hard to stick to. I’m convinced that, no matter how much people believe that they want to make any type of positive change in their lives, no matter how much they obsess about it in their minds, they will not actually take sustained action toward the change until they are darn good and ready. Who knows what it will take—a near-death experience, the loss of a loved one, a divorce, an episode of Oprah, a vacation? All I know is that it takes something meaningful to that person and that person alone. But until that lightbulb switch clicks on, what are we to do? Before we can "just do it," we must just show up. You feel too stressed to go to the gym? Just go and take a class. I guarantee you’ll feel less stressed afterward. Feel a little shy to start polishing your networking techniques? Just attend an event. It may not be easy, but you’ll be putting yourself out there and preparing for the next time. Feel like you can’t possibly leave your day job to start your own business? Just call a banker to talk about loan options. At least you’ll know where you stand. Feel like eating the entire pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream? Just eat half. It will show you that it’s OK to treat yourself, but not to completely sabotage your efforts. What I’ve noticed about people who stick with their goals is that they show up for what’s really important to them, even if they're really not in the mood. They are powered by an underlying faith that someday, the change will take hold and seem more effortless. And by showing up often enough, it surely will. I told the participants in my cycle and Pilates classes this morning that it didn’t matter how they felt when they came to the gym today. What mattered is that they showed up. Several people came up to me after class and told me that those words meant a lot. One woman said, "I’m not always happy to be here at first, but afterwards, I’m always glad that I came." Psychologist Jean Louis Servan–Schreiber said, "There are only two kinds of courage: the courage to die and the courage to get up in the morning." As you find the courage to get up tomorrow morning, ask yourself where you can start showing up to lead you one step closer to realizing your goals.
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