Several years ago, a lady named Judy participated in one of my weight-loss groups.
At the beginning of the first session, Judy announced that she hated exercise! She didn’t like to sweat, she despised feeling stiff and sore and she worried about getting short of breath.
At our weekly discussions, the group members always set an exercise goal for the following week. But because she hated exercise, Judy refused to participate in this activity.
The other members supported her decision and encouraged her to keep attending the group anyway. So week after week, Judy came to the meetings, but skipped writing any exercise goals.
One tiny goal
One day, she quietly spoke up, “I have an exercise bike at home in my bedroom. Maybe I could start using it a little.”
Immediately the others in the group encouraged her, “Great plan, Judy. Give it a try. Just do a small amount so you don’t get sick of it.”
So Judy wrote on her goal sheet, “I will ride my exercise bike every day for one minute.”
One tiny goal
The next week, the group members couldn’t wait to hear her report. “I did it!” she said. “Every day I rode the bike for one minute. In fact, I know I was accurate because I used my stopwatch!”
The following week Judy again reported success. This time, she cautiously agreed to increase her goal to two minutes a day. Once again she was successful.
As the weeks went by, Judy gradually progressed from two minutes to five, then ten, then even 20 minutes a day.
A year later, this person who said she hated exercise had lost 40 pounds and was jogging four miles a day. Judy said, “I was so overwhelmed by the idea of exercising that I couldn’t ever start. Making a very small goal was critical to helping me succeed.”
Take small steps
Like Judy’s tiny plan for one-minute on her exercise bike, begin with the smallest step you can imagine doing. Here are a few examples:
- Walk for one block (or five minutes) then turn around and walk back.
- Build strength by lifting a can of vegetables five times with each arm.
- Do one sit-up (curl-up method) each day. After a week, add a couple more.
Over time, gradually increase what you’re doing. But always keep your efforts within a realistic level.
Any time you start hating your activity, decrease it back down to a point that feels more comfortable.
It may take a year before you walk a mile or climb three flights of stairs. But rather than burn out and quit because you hate exercise, you’ll be a lot more likely to stick with your efforts. And that’s the key to achieving your BIG goals.