Stop Sabotaging Your Success: 10 Things You MUST Stop Doing

No matter who you are, or what your goal, you don't need to be an elite athlete to benefit from approaching life like a champion.

So you want to:

get in shape / lose weight / launch a new business / build a career / get cast on Broadway / just get through  your junior year of high school / excel at a new sport / save money for your dream vacation / pay cash for your dream retirement home ....

Whatever it is, we all have that thing we want to achieve or do. All too often, we are the ones standing in the way of our own success.  Without knowing it, we sabotage ourselves with thinking and habits that do not support our goals. 

Ten Ways to Stop Sabotaging Your Success:

1. Stop expecting immediate results. Understand everything is a process. Take the pressure off yourself, and instead, focus on being consistent. Focused, consistent effort over time will pay off.
   
   
2. Stop saying, "I can't..." Eliminate the phrase from your vocabulary. Tell yourself, "Yes, I can!" I can stick with this new eating plan for 30 days. I can do the workouts and check in with my workout challenge group for 30 days. I can plan and eat a family dinner three days a week. I can give up my gourmet coffee one day a week, and allocate that money toward my online workout group... and on and on.
   
   
3. Stop the "I don't have the time..." "I don't have the money..." "I don't have the right (whatever tools or equipment you think you need)..." talk. We make the time for what's important. We budget the money for things we prioritize. When something is important, find a way. And, if you aren't willing to find a way, be honest with yourself and admit that whatever it is, that goal really isn't that important to you. Yeah, harsh again, but true. 
   
   
4. Stop thinking you need to do everything yourself, or do it all alone. Don't try to be a hero! Enlist help. There are so many people who would love to help you. We all love a great success story and enjoy being part of one too! Join a group. Take a class. Check in with your best friend every night. Find a friend to hold you accountable. Free up time by asking your family to pitch in and help with laundry, cooking or dishes. 
   
   
5. Stop thinking you need to be perfect. Who cares if you mess up a bit on the first day of your new diet? Who cares if you skip the second day of your workout challenge because you got stuck in traffic and the night steamrolled out of control from there? The important thing is how you REACT to that slip up. Don't use that blip in time as an excuse to quit, or to eat everything in sight. Start over right then and there, at the first opportunity. There is no right or wrong. What matters is that you try. Every. Single. Day. If you fall, and do not get back up... ask yourself what you are afraid of. Stop expecting perfection.
   
   
6. Stop comparing your success to that of others. This is your life. Your body. Your timeline. Your goal. Your friend might run faster than you. Someone else might lose weight faster than you. Your college friend might have landed her first big role in a professional show, while you're heading home to live with mom and dad again for the summer. It doesn't matter. Your timeline might be different, but that doesn't make you less of a success. We are all unique, on our own journey. We need to learn to be happy about the success of others, and to also have patience with ourselves.
   
   
7. Stop ignoring the problem. You've started and "failed" a million times. You can't last on that Whole 30 diet for a day, let alone a month. You started my December Booties and Burpees challenge and fizzled out after ten days. You started working with a trainer but can't get out of bed to make it to your sessions. If you haven't accomplished XYZ... whatever it is... already, why not? Examine your past behavior and make a list of all the excuses, traps and pitfalls that have stopped you before. Then circle back to point number four above and enlist help!
   
   
8. Stop giving up after one tough attempt or a few rough days or weeks. Is it important to you? If so, then why are you letting a few bad days derail you? Again, look at the points above. What is tripping you up? Let's get your mind right so you can persevere!
9. Stop thinking other people deserve success more than you. Believe you are worthy. Believe you deserve to have all you ever wanted and more. (Unless, of course, you are a super villain and have plans to destroy Metropolis.) Just stop already, okay? Is it something you want? Wake up and tell yourself every day that success is yours!
   
   
10. Stop thinking others are more capable of achieving your goal than you. Sure, some people have super talent, incredible charisma, even amazing willpower. But we all face challenges and difficulties in our lives. BELIEVE you are capable. Make a list of all the reasons why you can and will achieve this goal. 

Turn on that Rocky theme music, or whatever music pumps you up, and let's rock this year!

What kind of things do you want to do or accomplish over the next 12 months? What's important to you? It doesn't need to be big. Think of one theme or word that covers an area of your life you want to focus on. Maybe it's family, or friendship, or wellness. Maybe you want to inspire, create or educate. Whatever it is, you CAN do it!

If you saw yourself in any of these tips, and want a little help with your mindset game, you will LOVE my podcast, Power Up Your Performance. Look for a new episode each week on iTunes, Google Play or Spotify. (or scroll through all the podcast blog posts here)

I'm always here to help you! If you are looking for a coach for your 5K, marathon or half marathon training, let's chat and see if I'm a good fit for you! Email me at [email protected]