Progress depends on doing the little things every day
As we work toward our Goals, it’s easy to get discouraged because we don’t always see progress. We want a quick result or at least something we can see every time we look, but that’s not how we should measure progress all the time. Sometimes our progress needs to be measured in the daily actions we take.
When we look at one of the most common Goals, weight loss, it’s easy to see why it’s also one of the most common Abandoned Goals. Losing weight is a long process if we do it right without endangering our health. Even weight loss surgeries do not guarantee immediate and visible results every day. However, we weigh ourselves daily, looking for more progress; and we are disappointed when it stays the same or fluctuates up and down. The important thing is the trend, not the day-to-day changes.
That has to be repeated.
The important thing is the TREND, not the day-to-day changes.
If we want to make sure that the trend is going in the right direction, we have to do the right thing every day to make that happen. We won’t be perfect at them, certainly not at first; But that doesn’t mean we won’t continue like this. Continuing with our weight loss example, what are the daily things we can track that will help us make progress toward our goal weight?
First we need to break down what it takes to lose weight. Generally speaking, this means that we burn more calories than we consume. We exercise more and eat less. More than what and less than what?
Second, what are the things we can do to make that happen? For the exercise, it should be simple. If you don’t have a gym membership or any equipment at home, then walking is the easiest thing to do. Walk 30 minutes a day. Or if 30 is too much at first, walk 10 or 5 minutes. Then do it again the next day and the next. Almost everyone can do this.
What about eating less? This one is more difficult, because we have to eat to live. Food is a necessity, but it shouldn’t be an addiction. Decide which meals you will eat each day. In this example, let’s opt for a moderate breakfast to start the day energized and ready. Then a light lunch and a moderate dinner. We should define what moderate and light mean. This includes portion sizes and calories. We should also make a list of foods to eat and foods to avoid.
What else can we do? There are certain habits that we must develop in order to exercise more and eat less. Getting up early, at the same time every day of the week, is essential. You can’t have breakfast if you don’t give yourself time to prepare and eat it before work. You can’t exercise in the morning if that’s your preferred time. You can’t take the time to review your day’s tasks and appointments. All of these things are essential to a successful day, and you can’t do them if you wake up 20 minutes before you leave home.
Third, and possibly the most important factor in your progress, is creating some sort of tracker. Even a sheet of paper with handwritten lists of things you want to do and seven boxes for the days of the week will do. Get up at 6 am. Exercise. Shower and dress. Make/eat a good breakfast. Review the goals and your schedule. Types of food and amounts consumed. Amount of drinking water.
Find out the most important things to keep track of. Pick three stocks and track them for two weeks. Add one or two actions to track every two to three weeks until you’re doing and tracking all the things you need to lose weight. This will allow you to see your progress each day as you check off each item or record quantities. It creates a sense of success and builds momentum. Weekly, you can check the goal that is driving this. Weigh yourself on the same day at the same time each week and record it. Don’t worry about the number for a moment. Your daily actions will take care of that for you.