Everybody has goals or an idea of where they want to be in the future. People often times like to dream about the life they want throughout the year and then set sail when the time is right, which ironically only seems to be at the beginning of the year. Weather these goals are realistic or not, people think that after a certain period of time and increased effort they deserve to look as good as they pictured in their mind, or deadlift 300lbs, or get off of their chronic disease medications. But, because you have goals and desires and you've made some changes in your life, that doesn't automatically mean you deserve to accomplish them.

Grounded in Reality

On this journey to becoming someone better than you are right now, we must keep at the pinnacle, reality. This might sound cheesy or cliche, but reality has to be at the fore front of progress. People construe reality by assuming that since they know someone who lost 30lbs by walking 10,000 steps per day that is all it should take for them to lose weight. Or maybe you know someone that was never a runner, they picked it up and ran a half marathon for the first time after only 3 months of training. This then becomes an assumption and a picture of reality, that this is all it takes to lose weight or train for a race. Not knowing everything that person went through and all the sacrifices they made to get there or where that person's starting position was. 

The first step then on this journey is finding your reality. Asking yourself the tough ego wrenching questions. Have I actually lost any weight in the last 3 months? What changes that I've made have turned into habits? Am I working out too hard or hard enough? Do I need outside help or professional help along this journey? Do I have realistic goals for my age? Are these goals important or should I prioritize other goals? Am I willing to shed a part of me for this outcome? How much cooking do I need to learn on my own to prepare more food at home?

Those are the questions to spend time wrestling with and confronting yourself about. Saying or writing down the truth and only the truth then will show you reality.

The Victim Card

The second step is a shedding away of the nonessential. That nonessential is the victim card or victim mind set. This happens often because it quite easier than the other option. It's easier to blame your boss for making you work 50 hours a week and not having time to workout. Or it might be God's fault that he gave you the genes you have and they make it harder to lose weight. Or blame could be placed on your parents for not teaching you good eating habits young. Whatever the situation is, you must reject the victim card at all times. Nothing good comes from playing the victim card and nothing will change either once it's been played.

What to do moving forward

After you have confronted reality and abdicated the victim mentality, sacrifices must be made. These sacrifices are different from person to person. Every individual will have different limits as to what they will sacrifice and what they need too in order to reach their goals. But self sacrifice is necessary and must happen for change to occur. I can't tell you where to start individually, but look to others for this step. Friends or family that have had successful health journeys are good resources. Or hiring a professional like a nutritionist or personal trainer could be beneficial as well. Whatever the case is, be grounded in reality, abdicated victim hood, pick your sacrifices and your health, fitness and life will flourish.