One of the things I find fascinating is motivation… Why do some of my patients succeed and others struggle… I really am wanting to address the classic drop in motivation that happens when people start a new nutrition program, acupuncture program or functional medicine program.
So I’ve been doing some research! Research shows that people have about 4 weeks of solid motivation and then for some people, things go south real quick…
As a health professional, this is critical for me to know…
My job is to make sure that my patients get success no matter what… So as I’m sitting here designing some new offerings, I want to address three things that I think are important for you to know…
#1 You need to focus on making something huge happen during a 4-week window.
Now, the key here comes down to 2 things… What will you do when your motivation is strongest and when will you start that? For instance, maybe it’s not a great idea to push big on day 1… Maybe it is smarter to build yourself up first with an unstoppable mindset, motivation, inspiration, and energy towards the change you want to make…
In essence, start easy, and show yourself that you can make progress and be successful. This will build intrinsic motivation, often called “autonomous” motivation in the research world. And then, only then, create a more meaningful objective and push hard for 4 weeks when you have the strongest motivation…
This is totally different than most scenarios, where people are lit up, on fire, and burn out after 4 weeks at the start of some new change… The reason: they didn’t build their internal motivation up, didn’t have a big vision for why they were changing, didn’t lay the foundation for a sustainable change… This is where you take a stand and be different. The old ways of doing things just don’t work!
#2 You need a short-term plan for weeks 4-8 to prevent the big crash.
Have a plan for week 4 (the burnout week). At this point, the changes you set out to make gradually start to fall apart. It happens time and time again. It’s why obesity for instance, persists, despite all of our attempts to change the trend.
We fail because we think that this time will be different… This time I’ll finally stick to my plan. But how often does that really happen. It doesn’t! So one of the things I’m going to be implementing is a plan for your wall… You WILL hit it… Life WILL come at you hard… It always does, who are we kidding to think it won’t happen again? 🙂
So you need a plan for making changes in life…
In a recent interview I heard, there was a woman speaking about how she had lost over 125 pounds and kept it off for over 11 years. I found that striking… I asked how she did it… She said “I always had a backup plan, a plan that I’d implement when the one I was doing didn’t work anymore or I didn’t want to do it anymore… ” This type of planning is done by someone really showing up to do the work…
He was committed, not just interested, in losing weight…
#3 You need a longer term plan from week 8 to about month 8 to make a shift permanent
Research also shows it takes 6-8 months to really make a shift permanent… A longer term plan for hitting that 6-8 month mark is imperative.
I have some ways of doing this… Things like keeping track of how your clothes fit, keeping a video journal, using an accountability partner and filling your life with endorphin enhancing activities like dance or yoga is what it will take to feel good long enough to show your mind that you want this for your life and you want it forever…
You also need the constant support of others on the journey with you. A community of people working toward the same goals is unstoppable. The energy is contagious and works for the whole…
Again, the goal is to get you through the initial phase after week 4, then to extend it… We do this by doing things in phases, recognizing that life is NEVER consistent and it comes at us in waves… Seeing the waves and riding them together is how you rock it…
Lastly, having compassion for yourself and knowing where you are weak as part of the process is also beneficial. The mind-body aspect of change has to be a part of the process.
The time to shift really can only be right now.
You’ve probably been through a lot and maybe even feel like nothing will work, nothing has ever worked… The truth is you aren’t alone. Most people feel exactly like you do. I get it… Shifting is tough! So many layers…
It really is my mission to empower you to find hope for something different, find it, then make it a part of who you are forever.
Ready to shift? Don’t be shy!
Reach out to us for a free 15 minute consult here!
