THE HARDEST PART
We hear it all the time... from our moms to our motivational memes: Starting is the hardest part.
But sometimes, that’s not the case. Sure, diving into a big project, new job, or even choosing to improve your health, can take courage. But once you’re in it, you have to swim—and that can take more effort than anticipated.
There are waves.
A current drags you in an unexpected direction.
Other swimmers bump into you and you feel like you’re stalled and treading water.
It’s why we so often start things and abandon them halfway through—what was supposed to be the easy part, sandwiched between the herculean tasks of starting and finishing, suddenly doesn’t seem like such a breeze.
The messy middle is that part in between when things start to feel a little scrambled. Maybe it’s going a little differently than you’d anticipated, or maybe you can’t seem to remember why you thought this was such a good idea in the first place. Perhaps it’s the end you’ve lost sight of, and now your task feels like it might drag on forever.
Part of the problem is that we assume that by gritting our teeth and beginning, the hard part is over. But that’s often not true. In reality, the middle is volatile—a sequence of ups and downs, expansions and contractions. Once the honeymoon period dissipates, reality hits you. You’ll make progress and then you may stumble. It's at this point right here when you truly decide whether or not you'll stay resolved for the longhaul.
Success lies in getting through the mess of the middle. Here’s how.
1. Map out the Mess
Real talk: Things often seem messier in your mind than they really are. The next time you feel overwhelmed, try writing the steps down. Map out the things you’ve done, what you’re working on now, and next steps. Research shows that putting your goals down on paper makes us more likely to remember them, even when the going gets tough.
2. Recognize the Small Wins
The finish line can seem far away when you feel stuck in the middle. So instead of racing toward one big endpoint, break your goal into chunks to help you notice the small wins along the way. When we achieve—and acknowledge—small goals, the brain releases a hit of the feel-good chemical dopamine, which both boosts concentration and triggers us to want to experience that same sensation again (aka complete another task). That means that those small wins can spur a rush of motivation, driving you to your larger goal.
3. Get Comfy With Changing Course
By now, we’ve all seen enough motivational doodles to know that success doesn’t always look like a straight line—usually, that line goes up, down, left and right before it finally meets the end of its journey. But when it’s your line and not just a meme, that uncertainty can be a little harder to stomach. Remind yourself that it’s impossible to really know your path until you’ve embarked on it, and that taking two steps forward and one step back (or two pounds lost and one pound gained back the next week) might happen on your road to success.
4. Call for Backup
You know those friends of yours? Your family? Those people you see every day? Use them as your support. Tell them what you’re doing and why, and ask them to hold you accountable by checking in on your progress. Let them give you something to answer to outside of yourself. Studies find that gentle peer pressure can actually be a good thing, forcing you to hold yourself to a higher standard because you know others are watching.
5. Remind Yourself Why You Started
It’s easy to lose your mojo once you hit the middle. If so, take a moment to remember why you began. You can even say it out loud: What did you hope to (or need to) accomplish? Why did you start? What do you hope to gain? Checking in on your motivation—and verbalizing it—can bring you back to those early feelings of excitement that we’re misplaced along the way.
When you're able to stay motivated and achieve your goal, that pride of a job well accomplished is beyond comparison. Here's to making it through the middle.. we're here to support you!
See you at Zumba soon!
In good health,
Roxanne & Angie
FITNESSforward
www.fitnessfwd.com
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