Don't let your brain
sabotage your goals...

Our mind is the most powerful part of our body and it’s what stops people achieving, completing or even starting change.

“The reason people join a gym is they want change, the reason they stop coming is they lose motivation,” said Cityfit’s Operations Manager, Alisha Pollard.

“To help our members reach their goals we have developed a Fitness Target tool. This tool helps us work with our members to identify the stages of change and develop strategies to help them stay motivated, avoid the mind games and reach their goals.”

 

Four Ways your brain will Sabotage your Goals

1. You’re taken to a fantasy land.
Your mind convinces you to do something because of the long term (often unrealistic) perfect results that you will get. Unfortunately when your fantasy is not realised immediately, you are completely de-motivated and pull the pin.

“The key is to set SMART goals,” said Alisha. “We help our members identify and work towards specific, short term and attainable goals.”

 

2. Your brain loves to procrastinate!
This has a lot to do with you convincing yourself that you’re too busy; when the reality is you are busy doing things that are not bringing you any closer to your goal. The only way to move through this procrastination stage is to MAKE A START. Any progress in the right direction (as long as it’s forward) will count!

Once you make a start your brain will function differently.

“Like a cliff-hanger in your favourite TV show entices you to watch the next episode - starting will make your brain more enticed to finish. You will also realise that the mountain you have to climb is not as big as you thought,” added  Alisha.

 

3. No plan = No Action.
The best way to make a start is having a PLAN, otherwise you risk your brain being distracted, and we’re back at the procrastination stage.

“Most importantly don’t just plan for success, plan for failures,” said Alisha.

“Recognise the hurdles that you will face along your fitness journey and develop strategies to help you overcome these.

“If/then statements are simple tools that help our members stay on track. Something like, “IF I don’t make my Wednesday night RPM class, THEN I will get to the Saturday session.”

 

4. Your brain loves to Abandon Ship
Studies have shown that if people think they have ‘blown their goal’, whether it be eating, exercising or studying the brain convinces you to just give up.

“Oh well I’ve already missed two training sessions this week, I might as well give the whole week a miss!..... sound familiar?

“The best way to overcome this ‘Abandon Ship’ mentality is to focus on what you have achieved. Any change needs to be about recognising your progress not aiming for perfection,” added Alisha.

 

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