I've been asked quite a few times what the "key" is to staying fit. Is it the workouts, eating properly, or getting support? I'd love to give credit to any one of those, but the truth is, it's a little bit of all of them and even more.
In the last few weeks, I've upped my personal development ante in order to help myself achieve my personal goals quicker and more efficiently. I've ordered motivational programs from Brian Tracy and Chalene Johnson, and really taken their advice to heart. Physically putting pen to paper has forced a new kind of clarity that I never really had before. Firmly establishing my life's priorities for the moment, setting my goals for the year, and keeping a REAL daily NEED-to-do list (versus a "should-do list") was a great place to start; it gives my life a new framework that I didn't have even just a mere two weeks ago.
"But Jillian, what do you mean by a great place to start?" The obvious answer to that is, we're a constant work in progress...but I'm sure that's not quite the answer you're hoping for.
It's a start because self-discipline is my answer. I can tell myself exactly how to work out, exactly what to eat, and talk to all the right people; if I don't actually do any of the above or follow my own advice, I still end up nowhere. The discipline to exercise daily, the discipline to stick to my guns about my food choices, the discipline to talk to my friends who keep me honest.......that's what it's all about.
I never really considered myself a disciplined person. I mean that 100%. Even with my schoolwork, I always knew I was smart but I never considered myself a great student by any means, because I lacked self-disciplined. Sure, I was organized--my schedule was always crazy hectic and I made sure I never missed an event, appointment, or day at the office...but that's just the problem: I'm great at doing what I HAVE to do, but not at what I WANT to do. My papers would get done at 6 AM the day they were due because I didn't see starting it early as something I "had" to do do. When it HAD to get done, it did. (For the record, I never got lower than a B+ on a paper EVER, but that's not the point ;) hehe.)
I can now honestly say that I really, really WANT to be disciplined. Why? Because I NEED to be. Nobody can make me have discipline except myself, and I will not be successful without self-discipline. One important thing I've been doing to help myself with this is to make my daily tasks manageable. I'm not setting out to rebuild Rome every day; I'm completing stepping stone-tasks every day and I know that sooner rather than later, my goals will be reality.
This, my friends, is the key to life.
