Nothing Changes If Nothing Changes
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
So wrote Brian Mazza, president of Paige Hospitality Group and fit-fluencer (yes, that’s a thing), on his Instagram last March.
His list of eight simple changes you can make to see results was a wake-up call for me.
It was the morning after Thanksgiving when I first saw Brian’s list. Even though it had been posted eight months earlier, it revealed itself as I furiously sought fitness motivation the day after literally gorging myself on turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce.
I knew I needed to make a change—make a commitment—and this was so easy: eight changes that really aren’t rocket science (working out, eating right, getting sleep) but had somehow alluded me up until then.
This commitment to Brian’s “To-Do List” has resulted in me losing 42 pounds since Thanksgiving.
I’m big into setting (and achieving) goals, and this lifestyle change has impelled me to set even more goals.
My goal for 2018 is to qualify for the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships and win the 50+ age group.
To prepare, I’m hitting the trails in Flagstaff next month for the Barn Burner Qualifier, the final stop in the 2017 Leadville Race Series. From there it’s on to the Leadville Trail 100 MTB and then the Fire on the Rim in the Tonto National Forest.
I’ve channeled my love for mountain biking into coaching the Perry High School mountain biking team. They’ll head up to Flagstaff with me next month for their very first race.
Nothing changes if nothing changes.
Say it again. Nothing changes if nothing changes.
This is not about mountain biking. Or exercise. Or losing weight. It's about making changes to see change, in any area of your life. And if you don't make any changes but expect the same result? Well, that's just plain insanity. Just ask Albert Einstein, who famously said, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results.”
When I first laid eyes on Brian’s words that day eight months ago, I didn’t know where it would lead. I knew I wanted to make a change, and I admired the simple way Brian showed me (and all the others like me) how to make those changes.
In pretty much every area of my life, I like to set goals. Personal goals. Work goals. And yes, even biking goals.
Goal-setting can be daunting for some people. Scary, even. But successful goal-setting can be quite enjoyable and invigorating when you take into these three success factors:
A big goal is a series of smaller goals. Don’t overcomplicate it or make the “big goal” so scary and seemingly unattainable that you don’t even try. Baby steps are necessary.
Along your journey, you may not hit all those mini-milestones. That’s OK. Stay focused and keep your eye on the prize.
When you accomplish your big goal, take time to celebrate. You did it! Don’t dismiss it as just another milestone to your next big goal. It’s important to recognize all the hard work you put in and give yourself a much-deserved pat on the back.
It doesn’t take much to set a goal, but it can change your life. It changed mine.
