Most people would succeed
in small things
if they were not troubled
with great ambitions.
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
in small things
if they were not troubled
with great ambitions.
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
Now what does that have to do with losing weight, you might ask? Here's how it hit me right between the eyes.
The great ambition is to Get. To. Goal. Oh, and NOW would be nice.
The small things are a pound here and an inch there.
Instead of wishin' and hopin' and thinkin' and prayin' for The Big Day to arrive, the one where I hop on the scale and the magic number shows up, I need to take pleasure in the little stuff. Like those NSVs we were talking about a couple weeks ago.
Somehow I've drilled it into myself that the small things aren't as important as the great ambition. And that's just not true. [Pardon me while I talk myself into this.]
No World Series-winning pitcher got to the Show without day-in and day-out practice, practice, practice. The famous musician has tossed dozens of scores before finally creating a beautiful piece of music. How many unfinished novels equal a best-seller?
How many steps does it take to win a race? The runner doesn't wake up one morning, don a comfortable pair of shorts and a t-shirt and expect to be the first to hit the tape. It takes weeks – months! – of training, the right equipment, proper fuel, lots of planning and a winning attitude.
So when I look back at my weight-loss logs, I would be better served by noticing how far I've come, instead of how far I have to go.
Taking it a day at a time wouldn't hurt, either.
Fifty days until race day.
3 comments:
You're so right: just waiting for the Big Day to arrive magically on the scale doesn't let you, us, really appreciate the very small steps that added up to make it happen.
Knowing and honoring and valuing those steps, how many it took to add up to the Big Day, makes it more likely that we can practice those little things regularly.
Your analogy to the training for a race is dead on - and you show us that every day with your perseverance and improved stamina. Wish I could be there to support you in the race but I can definitely appreciate what you're doing now!
Baby steps... yep that's the way to look at this. I celebrate every time I work out and don't quit too early. Every time my clothes seem lose.
BTW, got a formal "progress check" with my trainer this week. Even with a weigh-in mid-morning (2.5 pints of water and breakfast later), I have lost 13.5# of fat and gained 2.5# of lean! Most of that since 1/29 when I returned to the gym from surgery.
D:
A meeting member argued with me on this point this week. Her contention was that you have to have a dream to aspire to if you are going to get anywhere. For example, you don't apply to college unless you are at least thinking about graduating.
My response to her was to "Dream as big as you can, but set the smallest possible goals." I made that up on the spot and I'm not sure if it was the right thing to say!
-J
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