Healthy Living DIY

Perhaps you'd like to take a look behind the scenes of an unusal breakthrough. You've had them yourself, I'm sure. And if you look back, I'll bet you can identify with the quality or "state" I'm about to reveal.

There's one specific "state" that preceeds most major success breakthroughs. It also preceeds most dismal failures. And most run-of-the-mill mediocre results. The "state" is the same. The difference comes in exactly how that state is employed.

"What's a state, Elizabeth?"

The word "state" refers to "how you are." (Technically, it's called "state of being." Remember 6th grade grammar class?)

We've spoken about this before, but it bears repeating. When a friend calls you up and asks you how you are, you may answer "great." What you're really saying is "I am in a state of greatness."

Greatness or Misery
Gratitude or Stinginess
Abundance or Poverty
Possibility or Pessimism

They're all states. You have the ability to choose the state you want at any given moment in time. However as you're about to see, it's not always quite that simple.

Let's consider the specific state that led to Clara's breakthrough. The state that her therapist must have been in, whether consciously or not, in order to have the insight that led to the results everyone was looking for. The state that Clara herself must have had access to as well.

Commitment

Both the therapist and Clara herself most likely were in a state of commitment. But identifying the state alone doesn't solve the riddle. Because the next thing we must ask is "Commitment to what?"

In my experience as a wellness coach, I've observed three common types of commitment that typically show up as a person works through a healthy living project.

Commitment to a process
Commitment to a result
Commitment to failure

Let's look at each briefly in turn.

Commitment to a process seems to be the default setting for most people. You get an idea about how you think a particular process should go. You engage in that process. You own a certain level of commitment to the process. Whether or not it works.

Go to school. Do the homework. Take the test. Pass the class. Repeat.

It's commitment to a process. We're defaulted into it, in part, as a result of living in modern society. You do what you do because it's expected. Regardless of the results you get.

Commitment to a result best describes the shift in awareness that preceeded Clara's breakthrough. Instead of continuing in a process that wasn't producing results, the therapist stopped. Reconsidered. Had an "aha" moment. Tried a new strategy. And persisted until the desired result showed up.

Let's say you say you want to get in shape. You get up early and walk the dog before work. Fix a salad for lunch. Show up at the office and find that Susan brought donuts. It's a test. Which are you committed to -- process or results?

If you're committed to process, you're vulnerable to rationalizing that it's ok to eat the donut. Susan's your friend, after all, and she'd feel bad if you didn't indulge. (Or something just as good.)

If you're committed to results, that donut isn't going to tempt you. Trust me on this. A person committed to the results you say you want doesn't even register "donut." Her consciousness is elsewhere. She may see the donut, but she doesn't want it. She wants to be fit and healthy.

Commitment to failure. This can be a tricky one to recognize. But it's something that most of us have done at one point or another in our lives. Committed to failure.

It often shows up when a person lacks confidence in their ability to achieve a particular result -- for whatever reason. They tried for that result before and didn't make it. Their friend tried for it and didn't make it. Their mom or dad tried for it and didn't make it. No matter that 20,000 other people have made it. The person who's committed to failure can't see that. They can only focus on the possibility of failure.

They may go through the motions to "humor" themselves and you. But in reality, their foremost goal is to prove that the goal is impossible to achieve. And unless they have a change of heart, they surely will do just that. A state of commitment is very powerful.

So what about you?

Consider your present goals in life. Some of you are working on organized healthy living projects. Others are moving forward day by day. Regardless, you're surely working with some kind of formal or informal goal.

Identify one goal. Take the little test. Ask yourself what you're committed to.

Process.
Results.
Or failure.

If your answer is anything other than "results," then go back and re-read the "Wally's Widget Wonderland" story you got when you signed up for the Healthy Living Update.

What? Not signed up? No problem. Just do it now: Transform Stress Into Power.

P.S. Got an insight? Cool! Post a comment below.