Have you struggled with a bad habit for a long time unable to break it although you've attempted to time and time again? or have you tried to create a new habit and it would last for some time but eventually you would just give up?
Each time you start you feel pumped up, you feel inspired and excited about the new commitment but as time passed the excitement faded you end up quitting.
I think many of us have, I know I have.
Recently I figured out why we quit.
Why we give up on attempting to break bad habits, why we don't follow through on our goals and our hearts desires, why we give up on our passions.
We want it badly, we have a good reason why we want it, we follow all the rules but we just cant seem to succeed with our new commitments/goals/habits.
The answer is simple.
We negotiate with our minds.
That's it.
The only reason we don’t follow through with the commitments/goals we set for ourselves is because when the excitement about the commitment fades we begin to negotiate with our mind on whether we should continue with the commitment or not.
Our mind begins to slowly and very gradually convince us that we don’t really need this, its hard, etc the list of excuses can go on forever and its different for everyone.
Then we quit, we give up.
Time passes and the desire begins to surface to pursue the dream/passion/goal once again.
Again we get excited, pumped, inspired and we commit.
But not long after the excitement fades and the excuses as to "why we should quit" begin to gradually flow in, we begin to listen to them, we begin negotiating with our minds, and time and time again our minds win and we end up in a vicious cycle of self sabotage.
What if you didn’t negotiate with your mind, what if as soon as you got any thought that went against your new commitment you would just cut it off right then and there.
What if it was that simple
The good news is it is and that is exactly how's its done.
As soon as you have a thought come up that does not support your new commitment, a thought that begins to feed you with excuses and begins to tell you why you should quit, YOU CUT IT OFF RIGHT THEN AND THERE, DO NOT NEGOTIATE.
That is the key to creating a new habit, breaking a bad habit, setting a goal, pursuing a dream/passion and sticking to it.
I did this in my life and it worked like a charm.
I applied this technique in my workout routine.
In the past when I made a decision to go workout and for example that day I wasn't really feeling it, I would allow my mind to feed me excuses as to why it was OK not to go that day, almost every time my mind won.
Then I decided I wouldn't negotiate with my mind, I decided that if I made plans to go to the gym that day, then I would go to the gym that day no excuses. .
Eventually it became easier and easier, the excuses got quieter and my mind stopped negotiating with me about going to the gym when I didn't "feel like it"
The other night I was putting on my shoes to go to the gym, it was late, my husband and kids were home and I wasn’t super pumped about going that evening. I expressed my feelings to my husband about not being excited about going that evening.
He said to me “then why are you going, just don’t go” without hesitation I said “ I don’t negotiate with my mind” I am going.
I was surprised because at that moment I realized that I had created a new habit and my mind was no longer in charge, it was no longer negotiating with me. I had won this particular battle with my mind and created a new habit.
This is a very empowering technique can be applied in any area of your life that you are looking to create solid changes in. It leaves you feeling confident in control and empowered.
Make a commitment, don't negotiate with you mind and create positive lasting changes in your life.
You got this. You are a winner. Empowered & equipped. The power of the living God is within you.