It’s the day after Christmas,

and if you’re listening to this right now during your holiday week, you really are a true fan.

I’m going to keep this short, because I just want to talk with you as a friend, maybe even as a coach or mentor.

I think this is something really important to keep in mind as you’re thinking about your body and your habits right now, and what you want to do this next year.

It all starts with a story…

Ski season is here!

• My boys just started learning how to ski a couple years ago.
• Skiing is definitely one of those things that there’s no getting around it, you’re just not very good at first.
• You have to spend a good amount of time on the bunny hill before you can move on.

I remember, one time being on the chairlift with my youngest and he was particularly frustrated, he said, “Mom, every time I try I just fall, and I’m just not very good at this and I want to quit.”

I said, “I know, buddy, there’s a lot of falling when you’re first starting out, but if you can stick with it, you’re going to get better and better.”

The Lesson

Perfectionism, and its close cousin the all-or-nothing mentality, has killed more plans and sabotaged more health goals than anything else.

And the more I observe, the more I notice that a lot of this perfectionism stems from the “Trying” mentality.

• I’m going to try to eat better.
• I’m going to try to workout more.
• I’m going to try and go to bed on time.

But what we fail to see is that inevitably with the “Trying” mentality is that you can only get a pass or fail grade. You either did it successfully or you failed, and so you just say you’re going to try again.

• This is what my son was thinking on the slope. He was thinking “I’m trying, but it’s not working! I’m trying, but I’m failing.”

And when we’re trying to accomplish something like changing a habit, we see it through that lens of I either did it perfectly, or I failed and I need to try again.

• That’s exhausting, because when you’re first learning and changing habits, you’re going to fall a lot! You just are.

So let me challenge you to change your vocabulary and your mindset about this.

• Instead of saying that you’re trying, say I’m training. Use the word “training” instead.
• That word has a completely different connotation and almost implies that you’re not going to be very good at first.
• Training implies imperfection and steady growth. It’s kind of the like the apprenticeship mindset.

Let’s go back to those same habits I mentioned earlier that you’ve probably been trying to do and switch out the words…

• I’m training myself to be a healthier eater
• I’m training myself to workout more
• I’m training myself to go to bed on time.

Do you catch the difference? It’s no longer pass/fail… it’s no longer all-or-nothing or perfect or imperfect.

It’s a mindset of progress.

Big Takeaways

Going back to my son on the slopes, guess what? It’s been a couple years since he started skiing, and he’s much better. He has way more confidence. He knows how to move and control his body. He knows how to operate the equipment.

• He kept saying “try”, but what he was really doing was “training”. He was training and developing his skills,
• and if he recognized that that’s what was actually going on, he probably would have given himself so much more grace for all the falls and messups.

As this year is coming to an end, and you’re anxious to jump into what this next year brings, make this slight shift in your mentality moving forward.

Whether you’re 30 or 60, whether you’re in great shape right or you’ve got a long ways to go, you’re in a training process. And here are my three final parting words of wisdom:

• Give yourself grace for the messups. You’re just training, ok? You’ll get better.
• Make sure you’re in a program that provides for messups and skipped days and doesn’t punish you for it (like my Jumpstart 30 program, which is a perfect place to settle into in the New Year)
• Make sure to stop and notice how far you’ve come in your training journey. Do not forget to do that.

More Resources & Links

The Jumpstart 30 Program for Beginners - Register now! Day One starts Monday, January 1st!

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