When clients see me for training or the Nourish Clean Eating Program, they usually share some version of these main goals: weight loss, better tone, enhanced cardio, greater flexibility, and improved overall fitness.
These are great goals, however, they are vague and quite lack-luster – they are superficial.
The reason this can cause a problem, is that the effort required to achieve these goals is often great. And when the energy behind the goal is negative or drab or just so-so, then excuses get in the way, other priorities begin competing for attention, and the goal is dropped.
However, when the goal is etched in enthusiasm, passion and excitement, then you’ve got a powerful combination for achieving success.
Enter the deeper, greater ‘why?’!
If we were to use money as an example for a moment, your superficial goal may be to make more money this year. However, no one wants money just to walk around with bills in their pockets. We want money because of what we believe those bills will get us – like security, freedom, and joy. And that is where the deeper, more compelling ‘why?’ is found.
So when it comes to weight loss and nutrition, the questions to ask in order to find your deeper, juicier ‘why’s?’ are:
- “What do I believe weight loss will give me?”
- “What do I believe better nutrition will give me?”
- And the follow up questions would be, “And what would that give me?” repeatedly until you couldn’t go any further.
- And then finally, you could ask yourself, “And what do I love most about that?”
This simple questioning process reveals your deeper ‘why’s’ fostering excitement and passion, as well as your desire and will to take the action required to achieve them.
- Losing 10lbs is the superficial goal. Feeling fit, confident and awesome naked might be the deeper ‘why?’.
- Eating better is the superficial goal. Healing digestive issues and inflammation, and feeling vibrant and free of pain might the deeper ‘why?’.
- Eating more vegetables is the superficial goal. Enhancing vitality and maintaining energy levels through the day in order to be effective, efficient and alert at work, and still energized afterwards for family or social activities might be the deeper ‘why’.
Can you see the greater resonance in the latter examples?
Give it a try and I’d love to know what comes up for you!