Break Bad Habits
Build Better Ones
Become Better Men
- Nate Whitson -
One of my favorite comedians and actors of all time was Chris Farley. I legit almost cried when I heard the news that he had died back in 1997.
There were so many funny moments and quotes, but one of my favorites was this one:
So funny because it feels so true for so many of us! (Well...at least it feels true for me! Sorry if I dragged you into this.)
I mention this because one of the areas of my life that I've struggled to change and master (so far) is with my own weight and fitness level.
I'm like a yo-yo: up and down all the time!
My goal is to get to the point where I feel great about my weight. I want to be strong and feel confident in my clothes. But learning how to make this a natural part of my life has been a challenge.
Whether or not this is your issue or it's something else, I think today's conversation can help you reach your goals and make changes you've struggled with so far.
What I want you to consider is self-imposed handcuffs.
The purpose of handcuffs is obvious: to restrain you and prevent you from doing anything dangerous or crazy.
In the same way, self-imposed handcuffs can help prevent you from doing things you know you shouldn't do so that you can reach your goals.
Let's say you want to lose weight and get in better shape, like I do.
Here are some ways that you can use self-imposed handcuffs to restrain yourself from harmful things that are keeping you from your goal:
- Replace all larger plates in your house with smaller ones
- Only eat at the table (no more lazy eating on the couch)
- Set a time limit when you will stop eating for the day (I use 7:00 pm)
- No going back for seconds until you've waited 10 minutes after you've finished your first plate of food
- Only drink coffee and water (except for one exception each day of your choosing)
As you can see, self-imposed handcuffs don't have to be crazy, but they can really be effective.
When you purposefully and intentionally create restraints for yourself, you're making it harder to give in to temptations, and you're making it easier to change.
When you use self-imposed handcuffs, you're changing your habits and routines. When you change your habits and routines, you change your life and become more of the man that God meant for you to be.
That's the ultimate goal.
So, consider what area of your life you're struggling to change today and think through some options for self-imposed handcuffs.
Lock yourself up this week and see how it goes.
Nate
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P.S.
True Story:
Using a few of the habits inside of my own Start Super Small System, I dropped 10 pounds in 2 weeks — not by doing anything extreme, but by getting consistent with a few small self-imposed limits like these.
If it worked for me, it can work for you too.
What change are you hoping to see happen, but has been hard to do?
