Set a new standard for yourself

A sustainable approach to adopting change

Photo by Stephen Leonardi on Unsplash

Here’s some advice if you’re starting a new health and fitness program:

Standardize before you optimize.

Don’t try to figure out the perfect plan right now.

Instead, focus on creating a plan you can actually stick with.

1. Set a daily action you know you can actually do

2. Start now and get to work

3. Stay consistent

In the beginning, you need to create a new standard for yourself.

It might look trivial at first, but the intention is to prove to yourself that you can show up and be consistent.

You can always adjust and improve later.

But you can’t optimize what hasn’t already been started.

This might look like:

• setting a manageable daily step goal

• making one meal of the day healthier

• getting to the gym two times per week

• closing your eyes and following your breath for one minute

When you’re getting started and trying to build that consistency muscle, here’s what you shouldn’t do:

• research the best running program online for hours

• figure out how to dial your macronutrients in perfectly

• go to the gym five to six times per week

• meditate for twenty minutes

All of these actions have their place, and for some can actually be quite enjoyable.

But I’d suggest they are only beneficial when you’ve already committed to a level of change that meets you where you’re currently at.

You don’t become team captain by missing practice after all.

Show up to practice every day.

Put in the reps and work hard.

Then you can start adding in more and getting specific with your program.

For now, just start small.

Become the person who can follow through on their personal commitments.

Prove to yourself what you’re capable of.

Then increase the challenge when you’re ready.

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