Target Motivation

When my patients come into see me, I ask them why they made the appointment. Immediately I hear the typical list reasons, usually starting with “I want to get healthier”, followed by a litany of diseases they want to either prevent or reverse. Everyone wants more energy just to get up in the morning and without the help of a front end loader. And, people want energy to do joyful things--- run after kids and grandkids, travel and walk for miles through foreign countries, play tennis with your friends, and get up a flight of stairs without calling 911.

Then I ask folks how long they’ve been feeling this way. Usually they say the feeling’s been strong for months, even years. Everyone acknowledges that this is front and center in their lives. It really bugs them. Now, here’s the clincher. I then ask, “If this is so important, why haven’t you been able to make it happen?” Quizzically, they ponder and say “I don’t know”. It doesn’t seem to make sense. If it’s all that important, why haven’t you changes?

So, what’s the bottom line here? Folks, so often the usual litany of health and energy related motivations is just not strong enough. Heck, I’ve had men and women come in after coronary bypass, still munching on burgers and figuring that popping pills will do the trick. Here’s the answer. You have to go deep and figure out what’s really important to you. It’s something I call the Target Motivation. Maybe the coronary bypass didn’t move you to change. But perhaps realizing that you want to be around to hang out with your kids and grandkids, really hits you where it counts. It’s also perfectly OK to say “I deserve to wear terrific clothes and to feel great every day.” Give yourself permission to feel entitled to look and feel great. It’s a deep, primal feeling that helps you to keep focused no matter how overwhelmed you feel. It’s all about making choices.

So, to help you stay focused all day, and make the changes you need to achieve your dreams, you need to be really clear about choices. One of my patients noted that every time one of her usual self care choices comes up, she came up with her own mantra--- Flab or Fit. So, I have taught her to say “What would a fit woman do right now?” “What would a flab woman do?” Whichever you choose, you become. You become every choice you make in life.

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Comments

[Jennifer Brown]

I'm 32 years old and I have Muscular Dystrophy I'm also on a respirator. The last time I was weighed (last year) my weight was 130 lbs. I never eat 3 meals a day and so my family thins it's not enough. My Pulmnologist always advises me to be careful and not gain. How can I maintain a healthy weight?