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It’s a mistake to believe that fitness goals can be achieved through sheer will power alone. Like the captain and crew of a ship who must work together to arrive at their destination, the mind and body must be in constant support of each other to attain optimal weight and health. Neither one can accomplish it alone.

Yet, most people think that using “the power of the mind” is telling themselves, “I am going to lose 10 kilos! I can do it!” They think this “positive thinking” will eventually get them into those sexy jeans. The reason “positive thinking” doesn’t get consistent results is because it uses only 10% of the mind—while the other 90%, your unconscious, is making bets against itself.

True mental and physical fitness is when thoughts and behaviours are so aligned that when the captain says, “Let’s go to the gym!” the crew responds, “Yes! Let’s do it!” rather than, “Sounds good, but…sleeping sounds better.”

I’ve known people who come to my weekend Breakthrough to Success seminar just in hopes of losing weight who end up far exceeding their health goals. They ask me why weight loss has suddenly become so effortless. It’s because the processes simply create congruency between the conscious and unconscious mind by releasing old patterns of self-sabotage.

3 Ways People Sabotage Their Fitness Program

Mistake #1—Using away-from motivation

Oprah Winfrey once said that what motivates her to work is to change the world, but what motivates her to work out is “because I don’t want to have a fat butt!” Oprah gets stellar financial results by having a clear vision of what she is moving toward. Conversely, her fitness fluctuates because she is just trying to move away-from a negative consequence of not working out.

Solution: Move toward a compelling reward

If the thought of being seen in your bathing suit at your neighbour’s pool party makes you jump out of bed in a cold sweat to get to the gym, you are away-from motivated, and less likely to get positive long-lasting results. If the picture in your mind is of your lean mean body jumping out of the pool with leftover energy, then congratulations—you are using the most effective type of motivation strategy, toward your ultimate desire!

Mistake #2—Undermining inspiration with negative inner dialogue

Can you imagine what kind of results Tiger Woods would get if every time he raised his club he said to himself, “Whatever you do, DON’T slice this one straight into the lake!” The same result you get when you keep telling yourself, “DON’T eat that delicious chocolate cake in the fridge right now!”

Words stimulate the imagination until eating that chocolate cake is exactly what you feel compelled to do. When will power battles imagination, imagination wins every time. Don’t make it harder on yourself by filling your head with what you shouldn’t do.

Solution: Make sure your inner-dialogue support what you do want

Replace negatives like don’t, never and shouldn’t with can, will, want or choose. People gain motivation from language that focuses on what’s possible and voice tonality that bolsters confidence. Reprimands produce urges to throw in the towel. Rather than, “I’ll never look like that,” try a strong and encouraging tone. “I can do a few more laps in the pool.”

Mistake #3—Trying to force new behaviours before changing values

The fact is all behaviours are generated by VALUES. Meaning, you will go to the gym when it becomes truly important to you. I let myself get 10 kilos over weight while I was building my business because I let the company become more important than anything else. As a result my health suffered. When I realised success would be impossible without my health, I shifted those values. Interestingly, not only did I have fun getting lean and trim, but new career opportunities opened up as a result of my new physical and emotional zeal and fortitude.

Solution: Shift your values to align with your desire for a fantastic healthy body

Where you spend your time will tell you a lot about what you currently believe is important. Shift your values so health is within your top three, and you will immediately find going to the gym a rewarding pleasure you look forward to.

Top athletes know the key behind physical performance is mental training. Now you too have begun to access the full 100% of your mind and body’s power to achieve any goal you set for yourself.

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