Give yourself an out.

We all have off days, rough days, stress days, zero motivation days…but don’t let them impede your progress.  Instead, give yourself a mental out and show up or get started.  What do I mean by that? 

Tell yourself that you’re going to give it a go for a set amount of time, and if you’re really not feeling it, you’ll head home or cease the activity, whatever the case may be.  Nine times out of ten, you’ll end up staying or completing whatever you intended to do in the first place.  The key was just getting yourself there or getting started.

I train with an amazing health and fitness expert and gym owner, and she is the queen of this concept!

When you’re dragging in the morning or whenever it happens to be, she’ll say, “Come in and commit to 30 minutes or half the class.  If that’s all you’ve got in you today, you can leave no questions asked, but I guarantee moving your body will make you feel better.”

And, you know what, she’s right.  Everyone leaves there feeling better, even if we weren’t fully committed when we walked through the door.  My mental relationship with health and fitness has been completely transformed by this, and what’s more, I’ve been able to hit all of my goals!  Powerful, right?

I have applied this concept to other aspects of my life as well- attending events, trying new activities, working on a project, taking on new responsibilities, etc.  I even created a program at work where existing employees can try out new positions through a 90-day trial period.  If it works out, great.  If not, they can return to their previous role.  Here again, nine times out of ten, it works out.  They just needed to give themselves an out to keep progressing in their career.

So, the next time you are struggling to find the motivation to show up or get started, give yourself an out and then watch as you crush your goals!