When it comes to coaching, or just going about our daily lives, this is THE guiding quote you will hear me sharing over and over again. Sometimes, we psych ourselves out of progress because we are sucked into believing that for great change to occur, there must be some grandiose shift in our lives. Often, we get stuck in a "holding pattern" or plateau, awaiting such a shift or feeling helpless to make such a gigantic leap to achieve our desired outcome.

Have you ever found yourself walking on a crowded street or trying to get off a public transit train, and every time you step forward someone is in your way? You step on their heels, someone steps on your heels, you just can't seem to break through the crowd to get to where you want to go. That's kind of what it feels like when we are attempting to launch toward our end goal without first taking the small steps and pathways we need to break through. We just keep tripping over ourselves or other obstacles that pop up.

Consider this, most of the time, when we feel stuck it is because we are caught up in a familiar (but possibly unrecognized) pattern.

If you're working toward something right now--whether in fitness, nutrition, mindfulness, school, work or anything else in your life--and you're feeling stuck, defeated or a bit frustrated...let's find out if it's the same monster repeatedly presenting itself to inhibit your progress.

• Reflect on efforts you have made in the past. What were those endeavors? How did the story go? What moved you forward? What held you back or halted your progress completely?
• Were their external factors that influenced you, or was it something in how you handled or reacted to those influences?
• What was within your control and what wasn't? Did you recognize and accept the things you could not control?

Now, think of all of those reflections and compare them to what you're currently working toward.

• Are there any common elements?
  
• Are there obstacles that seem familiar or similar frustrations that you can recall feeling in a prior endeavor? 
  
• Are you trying to control the uncontrollable by using a strategy, behavior, or coping mechanism that has not seemed to work?

If you are able to recognize any parallels, consider this your "pattern monster." We may never defeat our inherent pattern monsters by continuously slamming into them, but we can certainly out-smart them.

Bring recognition and clarity to your patterns.
Refrain from criticizing or judging yourself.
Simply notice what's happening, name it and leave it at that.
This can be challenging, but lean in to this process!

Once you have brought some definition to your old patterns, let's work on letting them go and finding some new habits to put into play. Breaking old habits and discovering the small shifts you can implement to redirect your efforts will change what you are repeatedly doing. If you can change what you are doing on a daily basis, you won't need to wait for that great, grandiose shift. You will be progressively creating it. By putting positive habits into play---consistently and repeatedly---you will be developing a whole new pattern.

Each step you take to recognize your tendencies and adjust your actions will incrementally progress you toward your goals.

So, what is it that you can do just a little bit differently today that will move you forward?

Cheers to getting un-stuck!

-Coach Cassie

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We talk about "goals" all the time. We read about goals all the time. We are encouraged to set goals and have goals and make decisions based on those goals. However, too often these goals exist as somewhat vague, often overwhelming, yet very much desired ideas of where we wish we could end up. Think about someone you know (or perhaps even yourself) who is always talking about doing something or wanting to start something or wishing for something. Now, think about what they do each and everyday. Are the things they do in congruence with what they say or what they are working toward?

Goals are often ideas.
For a goal to be valid, you must know your tactics.
Tactics are what you will commit to each day, week, month, etc. to progress toward what you will accomplish in the long-term.

For example:
If you have a goal of working out more this summer, expand beyond that to give yourself tactics, metrics and accountability.

"I will work out more this summer by scheduling 4 hours off each week and packing my gym bag each morning, in order to be at the gym for my 6:00pm training sessions."

Suddenly, a vague and lofty idea becomes something tangible, manageable, with a clear vision of what you will do each day and week.

Tip: When goal setting, consider both short-term and long-term goals. For each goal, identify 3 tactics you will commit to in order to achieve that goal. Then, consider possible obstacles that may present themselves for these tactics and prepare a plan for working ahead and preventing these potential challenges.

In addition to setting clear, defined goals and expectations, it is critical to understand your intentions. Anytime you set an aim, ask yourself "why" 5 times until you uncover your deepest motivation for the goal.

Here is an example of how that might go:

I want to workout more this summer.
Why do I want to workout more this summer?

I want to workout more this summer so I can stay in shape for the annual beach trip.
Why do I feel I need to stay in shape for the beach trip?

I want to stay in shape for the beach trip because I feel self concious in my swim suit.
Why do I feel self conscious in my swim suit?

I feel self conscious in my swim suit because I haven't been able to stick to a consistent exercise routine this past year and I don't always make the best food choices, especially on weekends.
Why haven't I been able to stick to a consistent, healthy routine and make good choices?

It's been difficult for me to find the motivation to workout since I moved to a new city last year and I don't know a lot of people yet. At the end of the week I'm pretty stressed out and feel kind of lonely when the work week is over, so I tend to go out and over indulge to escape things a little.

Here is what we just found out, with only 4 "whys," the general idea of wanting to workout more has much bigger implications to feeling fierce for beach season. It's about finding yourself, prioritizing your health, getting your energy and motivation back, and finding your stride in a new place. By uncovering your deepest motivation of wanting to feel confident and social and happy and back-in-charge, you have SO much more fuel to workout more this summer. There is more on the line, and you know why it matters for you. If it matters to you, you will make it a priority rather than making excuses.

So, we know how to set specific goals and tactics...how to find your motivation and your 'why'...what's the final piece to set yourself up for success?

It's all about congruence and focusing on realistic results.

We often get super excited about our possible outcome, before giving much thought about what it will take to get there. Consider what you are willing to adjust in your everyday lifestyle. What can you compromise on and what are you not willing to? It will not serve you to set goals or tactics that you know you cannot meet.

Life is is about balancing competing demands. Not everyone wants to spend their Friday and Saturday nights squeezing in those extra workouts. That's okay. If you benefit more from having that time to relax with family or friends, recognize and embrace that. Of course, make good choices during these times, but know that the goals you aim for will need to accommodate you not having those Friday or Saturday night workouts. Find another way to accomplish what you're aiming for. You must enjoy your lifestyle on the way to your eventual goals, or you will find a million excuses to jump ship.

Discover ways for your daily lifestyle to act in congruence with your desired outcomes.

In summary, set yourself up for consistent success by:
1. Setting detailed tactics for your goals
2. Giving weight to these goals by unlocking your intentions
3. Work for realistic results by finding congruence in your actions and aims

One Life, Live Infinitely,

-Coach Cassie