The title sums up my thoughts when it comes to having a goal that you can't just get to. I absolutely love the quote from Abraham Lincoln, "Give me six hours to chop down a tree and will spend the first 4 hours sharpening the axe."
Honest Ab had it right. Take some time to make a plan that can cut through anything that might come up in opposition. Including your excuses. Having a plan forces you to see your faults and missteps. If you have a plan to eat well all day and have some ice-cream after dinner but you go back for a second serving that isn't planned, you know for a fact you're stepping off plan and making a choice to set your goals back a step.
Anecdotally, for myself and many of the clients I've worked with the more time we spend "sharpening the axe" (making a detailed plan) the more likely they are to take it with more effort and consistency. Planning your weekly meals and meal prep is great! Just don't forget about the event you have coming up this weekend. Taking your partner out to dinner, your buddies bachelor party, tailgating at your favorite teams campus/stadium.
The more likely the day is going to turn into chaos the more I detailed my plan gets. One example I've used while tailgating is no matter how many adult beverages I drink I have to have a large glass of water in-between them all. So, I have to run to the bathroom a lot. Harder to drink while I'm using the restroom although not impossible. It definitely will slow down your adult beverage consumption and help with the hangover the next day.
If you tailgate every weekend there is football this can save you from putting on a few pounds and also make the day after not so bad. The water also gives a pause to ask yourself, "Is this worth setting my goal back a day?" Some times it's a "Hell yes" sometimes its a "Hell no."
That is just one example of a strategy that can be employed to help someone enjoy their life still and yet still stay on track or at least not get as far off of track.
I could talk about this stuff all day. If you have questions or comments please leave them or reach out. I'd absolutely love to hear from you.
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