Day 88 – 1% Change {90-Day Challenge} Quantum Leap

October 29, 2015October 31, 2015 | Robynn

Nothing builds upon your momentum and sense of progress like taking massive action.
~Ed DeCosta

This past summer my family visited a hotel that had a beautiful small lake directly behind it. Crossing over this lake was a picturesque bridge and on the lake people were in boats enjoying this relaxing resort with all its amenities.

As my family watched people in paddle boats we decided that we too wanted to get in a paddle boat and cruise around the lake. So we jumped in a boat – my husband and oldest daughter in one paddle boat and my youngest daughter and I in another.

It was an incredibly windy day and we were heading into the wind. OuR GoaL was to cross under the bridge to the other side of the lake. As my boat began to approach the bridge we were met by a lady in a paddle boat who yelled to me that the current under the bridge, along with the wind, was too strong for one person to paddle through. Well, that was all the motivation I needed. I was determined I would make it over to the other side.

Reaching the bridge I quickly realized how difficult it would be to overcome this current and pass under the bridge. I peddled like my life depended on it, making only tiny strides, but I kept at it.

If I let up in the slightest, any effort I had made was quickly lost, so I peddled like mad and after a minute or so of giving it my all, I was able to overcome the current and wind and get to the other side. From that point on, everything was a breeze.

This story reminds me of life. Sometimes in order for change to occur, the situation requires a QuAnTuM LeAp, a breakthrough, or whatever you want to call it. Sort of like the energy needed to lift a rocket. Initially the energy exerted is incredible, but once you have your momentum, the rest is actually almost easy.

As you assess your situation and what you desire to accomplish, ask yourself if it can be best accomplished with small steps, or do you need a quantum leap to get the ball moving? Answering this question might help you determine which approach would be best for reaching your goal.

What action are you going to take to get momentum on your side?

P.S. For the previous post in this series click HERE.

For the next post in this series click HERE.

Day 85 – 1% Change {90-Day Challenge} Gaining Momentum

October 26, 2015October 31, 2015 | Robynn

Tenacity is the solution to many a problem that you will encounter on the road to your dream.
~John C. Maxwell

This may sound nerdy to some, but one thing I love to do is learn, read, and grow. I love to do this so much that I joined the John Maxwell Team becoming a Certified Speaker, Trainer, and Coach. {{By the way, if you are interested in joining this World Class Team, let me know and I can hook you up! }}

In his book, The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John talks about the Law of the Big Mo. The Big Mo, that John is referring to, is momentum and earlier this year I found myself in desperate need for momentum. I was stuck. Just couldn’t seem to make any forward progress in Peace with Food.

So, I began reflecting on the principle of momentum and was later given the opportunity to ask John the following question:

How do you gain MoMenTuM? Is it by taking baby steps or by taking a quantum leap?

His answer:

Ask yourself, “What is the SiMpLeSt ThiNg (not necessarily the easiest thing) I can do that will give me the greatest return?”

I love that answer.

As I look back on my life I see how his answer was spot on. At times I had gained momentum due to small steps and other times I had taken the quantum leap to get the ball rolling. But before John answered my question I had never connected the dots.

Do you feel stuck? Do you need to gain momentum in some area of your life? If so, ask yourself John’s simple, but powerful question and then as John says, “Begin stringing together little wins to GeT A BiG WiN.”

P.S. For the previous post in this series click HERE.

For the next post in this series click HERE.

Why Diets Don’t Work: Reason #4

December 2, 2014January 10, 2015 | Robynn Coates

Reason #4: Peace with Food relies on skills, diets on willpower.

What does a professional athlete, accountant, concert pianist, and a plumber all have in common?

One word: skill.

They have learned a set of skills and honed them to become successful in their area of expertise. And how exactly did they hone these skills? They spent considerable time practicing.

There is no way to get around it. If you want to be skilled at something, you have to practice. And living at Peace with Food is no different. If you want to be successful in maintaining your optimal weight, living a life you love, and doing it with peace it will require skills, not willpower.

It’s funny how unskilled we were in this area of Peace with Food when we first began. Back when we started on this journey, our peace was probably a 1 or 2 on a scale of 5. But now, after practicing continually we would have to say that our peace in this area is an 4 or 4.5. And it is all because we pursued skills and not willpower.

What’s so bad about willpower? Well, it’s not that it’s bad, per se. It’s just not the optimal tool for the job. Unlike skills, which bring success, willpower is fickle. Here today gone tomorrow. Any one who has any dieting under their belt has most likely experienced the ebb and flow of willpower. It seems like when you need it most it is MIA.

Unlike willpower, skills will help you live at Peace with Food for life, not just for 16 days, 23 days, or whatever the length of your newest diet (if even that). When you acquire skills such as self-control, making wise choices, and “resetting” right after a mess-up, you will get a much bigger bang for your buck than some temporary surge of willpower.

So, instead of mustering up the willpower to try harder, consider developing skills that will ensure your victory. What skill would help you make a quantum leap in the area of Peace with Food? Start there. As your skill level goes up, so will your success!