If you’re serious about making changes in your life, you may have to work on your “want to” skills.
The next time you’re tempted to say “I can’t,” substitute the words “I don’t want to.”
Now you might confess, “I don’t want to stay on a diet” or “I don’t want to stop overeating when I visit my family.”
Look back at the list of “I can’t” items you wrote yesterday. Change each one to read “I don’t want to…”
Now your excuse of “I can’t exercise regularly” becomes “I don’t want to exercise regularly.” That certainly doesn’t feel good, does it?
To get past this barrier, go through each of those I can’t statements again. But this time, start with the words, “Wait a minute. Of course I want to!”
So now, your weak phrase “I can’t exercise regularly” would read, “Wait a minute. Of course I want to exercise regularly!”
Today’s assignment (my answers are in blue)
1. Go back to yesterday’s list or even write a new list of goals or situations where you’re inclined to say “I can’t.”
I tend to say I can’t… exercise consistently, lose weight, avoid cookies
I guess that means I don’t WANT TO.
2. Write the new list again, but in front of each item, write the words, “Of course I want to…,” reinforcing your plan to actually make it happen.
Of course I want to… exercise consistently, lose weight, avoid cookies
3. Pick one of these goals and write it on a separate piece of paper along with the words, “Of course, I want to.” Carry this with you and read it often. Describe how this worked for you.
Of course I want to exercise regularly. So I plan to get back into my routine of doing a long walk outside or on my treadmill every day before I have dinner.
I think being forced to say “I don’t want to” about my goals is kind of a wake up call. It helps me decide whether it’s true, or I’m just making excuses.
Excerpted from Day 48 in the book 100 Days of Weight Loss