There are large portions of your day when no one is watching you. It is at these times where you act independently and do things how you like them. However, this isn’t always a good thing. Often times it is the easiest way to take the easy way out. Nobody can keep tabs on you at all times to make sure you’re doing the right things. No one except yourself. Hold yourself accountable for things. Don’t take the easy way out just because no one is looking. You don’t grow if you’re not stretched past your limits. Most times there isn’t someone there to push you, so do it yourself.
Personal trainers can’t make you eat healthier.
Financial advisors can’t increase your income.
Your soccer coach can’t make you train outside of practice.
At some point you have to take initiative and step up. You need to work to get better when no one is looking. You have to work so when it matters the results show and you shine.
In the past I’ve always had trouble gaining weight. This was in part due to the fact that I didn’t eat enough. At meals with my friends I would often not be able to finish the food I ordered. I would cover it up with my napkins so I wasn’t questioned or made fun of. Really, I was just cheating myself. Instead of toughening up for five minutes and just putting the food down I covered up and lied. In soccer when I would mess up a pass I would make up an excuse in my head. I was never a vocal player at a young age so these excuses I made were all for me. I would often blame my teammate for not being in the right spot. When really I was just avoiding the fact that I needed to get better. I was making myself out to be better than I really was. I should have owned up to my mistakes. When you own up to your mistakes you can learn to analyze and fix them. If I had owned up to all my missed passes and shots, I would’ve been in the backyard the next day figuring out how to get a certain pass down.
When you hold yourself accountable you will grow faster. Instead of avoiding all the bad things, address them head on. Why are you lying to your friends about going to the gym today? Because then it makes you feel like you did it. You can keep lying to them over and over again, but after a couple weeks when you just have a bunch of lies and no results to show for you realized you failed yourself. It would feel much better to tell your friends that you went to the gym and that you’re taking responsibility over your health if you actually did it.
When you lie to yourself you cheat yourself. When you cheat yourself you reside in the rut of progress. Want to progress? Hold yourself accountable to the little things. Do that and you will be well on your way to success.
Lofted Learning 