I put on about 20 pounds during the pandemic. Bad habits became so ingrained in me that it felt near impossible to undo them. The gyms reopened, the schools reopened, life reopened- yet I still couldn’t find that fire that once burned in me. Every positive change I made didn’t matter. I found myself harping on the same negative self talk- You’re still heavier than you once were. I could not stop hyperfocusing on my big goal- losing all of the weight. Because of this, I completely missed all of the amazing small changes I was making along the way.
I’d put in a great workout. Cue negative self talk: You used to be so much stronger. I’d eat a healthy lunch. Cue negative self talk: you used to eat healthy all of the time. I’d lose a few pounds. Cue negative self talk: you still have a long way to go.
What I eventually realized was that all of this negative self talk was keeping me from celebrating so much progress I was making overall. And that, without seeing and internalizing all of those small wins, I’d never last long enough to finally accomplish the big goal. My days consistently felt like I was getting nowhere with my overall goal: to lose the pandemic weight. But in actuality, I was making so much progress.
Putting in the work at the gym= progress. Choosing healthier meals= progress. Losing weight, a few pounds at a time= progress.
Too many people fall victim to this same common mistake: focusing too much on your big goal and not valuing the small victories. This explains why most people give up on diets and workout plans they make for themselves. If I’m not meeting my big goal, then what’s the point? Truth is, your self talk will be the determining factor in your long term success. Resist the trap and work on that self talk each day. In the end, those small wins will turn into big changes in your life. Don’t let them go unnoticed.