It is estimated that we make up to 35,000 decisions a day. From the moment we get up in the morning to the time we go to bed, hundreds of decisions are needing to be made.
I thought of this in relation to being active and staying fit. It’s no wonder sometimes that people can start off strong with working out- and then slowly move away from it. There are so many things on our plates!
So how can solid decision making help you stay on track with your fitness goals? The answer lies in your upfront analysis.
According to Tim Ferris, there are 3 steps to making decisions.
1)Begin with a Risk/Benefits Analysis. This involves looking at the Worst Case Scenario(s) (Risk) and the Best Case Scenario(s). Regarding a new workout routine- worst case scenario could be that you possibly get hurt. Or, that it is costing you a lot more money to go to the gym.
The best case scenario could be that you start feeling better, eating better and become less stressed.
This model is better than a pros/cons list because it delves further into the mindset and will give you more insight to who you truly are and what you’re capable of.
2)Use the Head, Heart, Gut Method. This is a technique where you will ask yourself if this is the right decision or not. You start with analyzing the thoughts in your mind, feeling in your heart, and intuition in your gut as soon as you ask. If you get a YES- then you have your answer! You can use this in an opposite fashion as well. If you get a flinching response – say once you ask yourself if this is a good decision that your forehead crinkles. This is a Negative response.
In relation to fitness and exercise, you could use this when analyzing your workout goals, what type of workouts, and how much time you have.
So let’s say you decide to set a goal to run a marathon! Once you make this decision- then ask yourself. Am I ready to train for a marathon? Pay attention to either excited YES response from your head, heart and gut OR a visceral negative and or contraction from your body. You need to be aligned .. This is literally making decisions with your entire body and mind.
I think a main reason that people can start working out and then stop is because the decisions they made initially were not the ones they made accurately to begin with.
3)Don’t let your Intuition be an excuse. According to Ferris, sometimes people use this as a catch all reason. They say, Well, my intuition is telling me I shouldn’t do this right now. Or- I’m feeling in my gut I should move forward with this. He says it’s Bullshit to use this as an justification all the time for your actions. Lol
My thought is that if you use the above technique and get congruency between your head, heart and gut then just using your intuition as an excuse won’t be necessary.
Often times, we have a difficult time making decisions due to self doubt. A mind much greater than ours helps us by giving us clues to our own body. We have to be still & quiet enough to truly listen.
So this techniques discussed here can obviously be applied to any facet of life. Your health is super important so using these decision making methods for incorporating a healthy lifestyle makes sense. Starting an exercise routine is a drastic change and making the correct decisions right from the start can keep you on track for life!