Care to guess what the most important muscle in your body is when it comes to health & fitness success?
Hint: It’s not your biceps, triceps, pecs, lats or quads.
It’s your brain.
And more specifically, your mindset.
I know, I know … your brain is an organ, not a muscle. Just work with me here 🙂
Your mindset is a set of beliefs that trigger emotions, which drive your actions and eventually yield a particular outcome.
Here’s an example of a self-defeating mindset:
“I’ve tried gyms before, shed a few pounds, but never stayed consistent. I always gave up before reaching my goal and ended up regaining weight.”
This negative mindset fosters feelings of inadequacy, failure and lack of follow-through. If you’ve experienced this, you’re not alone.
Your beliefs shape your decisions. And if you start anything with limiting beliefs, the outcome is going to be aligned with those beliefs … and not the results you want.
And here’s the kicker: When you quit the program or gain the weight back or “fill in the blank” in alignment with your original limiting belief, this confirms the belief in your mind.
That’s right … your brain says, “I told you so.”
So how do you break the cycle?
Create new beliefs by making new decisions. Here are a few examples:
“I’ve decided to prioritize protein and veggies in at least two meals daily for the next month.”
“I’ve decided to commit to a minimum of three gym sessions each week for the next 30 days.”
“I’ve decided to bring healthy snacks to work instead of eating junk food from the vending machine.”
By shifting your beliefs into decisions, you can break the cycle of failure and disappointment. This shift in mindset leads to improved behavior, empowering you to make choices that align with your decisions. Progress and consistency become the new norm, and you no longer fear failure.
If you want better results, it starts with a better mindset. And a better mindset starts with reframing your beliefs as decisions. Make this simple shift and watch your quality of life take off.