Most people would agree that in order to accomplish your goals you just need to have a positive attitude. There is self-help, how-to and positive mental attitude books to help you succeed at almost anything. You can do anything IF you have a positive attitude, just change your attitude. I personally have TRIED to have a positive attitude about exercise and healthy eating. But it doesn't seem to matter how hard I try to take every thought captive, I still hate exercise! I love the results but I still hate exercise. The only part of exercising I enjoy is when I'm done and can quit. I tolerate vegetables, I love feeling healthy but as far as foods, I LOVE chocolate and tolerate vegetables. Well, I just need to change my attitude, right? NOT.
Jeff Olson, the author of The Slight Edge says that it is not about how to or attitude but about philosophy. This was such a huge relief to me. I don't have to change my attitude about exercise but I do have to have a philosophy that will drive me on. "Your philosophy is your view of life, something beyond feelings and attitudes." He says, "Your philosophy is what you know, how you hold what you know and how it affects what you do." I know that if I do my daily disciplines of 30 minutes of exercise and eat more fruits and veggies, I will be healthier. That's what drives me on, that knowledge.
What about the rest of my goals? What drives me on there? A true life philosophy should encompass your life. It is a simple, catch phrase, mantra, slogan, brand... A wonderful example would be Nike's "Just Do It". It isn't abstract or detailed like a vision or mission or goals or affirmations. It is something you can hang on to, to get you through what you don't want to do. It drives you on to the goal.
I know that I talked last week about constructing an affirmation and I broke down, "I'm living on the eighth day, right now!" However, now as I look at it, I think that is my philosophy. It gives me the sense of urgency. I'm living on borrowed time. God has given us only so much and we should measure our days wisely. It also keeps me from procrastinating and getting hung up on what I didn't do yesterday. Finally, it helps me to just get on with it instead of figuring out all of the details, calculating the numbers, and putting together spreadsheets and graphs describing the progress. (Thanks to my engineering background AND melancholy personality type) As I mentioned, I find myself saying it multiple times a day. Like the little engine that could, "I think I can, I think I can...", "living on the eighth day, living on the eighth day, living on the eighth day", "right now, right now, right now".
I'm living on the eighth day, right now!
Heart
check 30 Minute Exercise
check ate fruits or veggies
check followed payoff plan
Soul
check Prayed with prayer partner
check Talked to Jeff
check Reached out to one more
Mind
check listened to audio
check read 10 pages
check blog checklist
outstanding!!!!!!
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