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What stops you from succeeding?


What are the hurdles between you and better health, or stopping smoking, losing weight, taking charge of your fridge or regularly exercising?

We all have obstacles which stop us from succeeding in our goals. Success isn't complicated, it's just hidden by the noise of less important issues that we have let cloud our life. These problem areas block our path to the simple achievement of our goals.

People who appear to achieve their wishes effortlessly have often just been more honest about their particular trouble spots. They've simplified their life and tackled each one individually.

Today I'm going to give you a list of potential obstacles which may be getting in your way. I want you to check off the ones that apply to you.

Internal Barriers: Your own personal hindrances

Judgemental Pressure:

  • Do new projects seem too daunting for you?

  • Do you think you won’t manage a task even though other people clearly can?

  • Do you find yourself thinking that this kind of thing is for other people, not for you?

Fear of Failure:

  • Do you make elaborate plans that you know you will never put into action?

  • Do you seek perfectionism?

  • Do you refuse to commit unless you believe the task can be achieved?

  • Do you keep your plan a secret in case you don’t achieve it?

Reactive Behaviour:

  • Do you blame other people without considering how you could have behaved differently?

  • Are you often faced with emergencies or urgent problems which could have been foreseen?

  • Do you find yourself saying “if only”, “I could try”, “it always”, “it never”

External Barriers: Obstacles which you have allowed to weigh you down

Dangerous Social Media Use:

  • Do you follow unachievable goals on social media?

  • Do you compare yourself unfavourably with friends on social media?

Family and friends as a hindrance:

  • Do family and friends dissuade you when you try to make lifestyle changes?

  • Do close family members refuse to change with you?

  • Do family and friends misunderstand why change is important to you?

Lack of Knowledge

  • Do you start fads without little forethought?

  • Do you try to lose weight within 2 weeks of an event?

  • Do you embark upon diets or fitness routines you don’t understand?

If you answered yes to any of these questions you can take a moment to congratulate yourself on your honesty. By owning up to your barriers you can understand why they hinder you and begin to overcome them.

But don't stop there. Choose the biggest obstacle today and come up with an action plan to tackle it. Does that seem too tough? Why not choose two or three easy ones and knock them out?

Share your obstacle and your plan for success on the Making Change Stick Facebook group today. Let us know how you get on.

Enjoy Good Health!