4 Ways to Quit the All or Nothing Mentality
Do you identify as an “all or nothing” person?
Well, if you ever find yourself going hard at the gym one week & sitting on the couch the next, you might be an “all or nothing” person.
Basically, you see yourself being either 100% in & committed to your goals or… you see yourself doing a 180 degree flip..
And while this mentality may be what’s standing in the way of reaching your goals, you can start taking steps today that will help you rid yourself of this thought process for good!
Yes!!
You read that right!
With these 4 simple steps, you will be on your way to breaking this mentality once and for all, and finally find the balance that you’ve been looking for!
Step One:
Stop Telling Yourself You are All or Nothing Person
This step is key to quitting this mentality because what we say, we think, and what we think, we believe.
If you tell yourself you could never break this cycle, you’re right.
But if you tell yourself that you can quit this mentality, you are also right!
The more you can recognize this negative thought process, the more aware you will become that you’re thinking this way.
The more aware that you are, the more you can stop yourself from thinking in this way.
So, the more that you can stop your negative thoughts, the more you can tell yourself that you can keep going, that you can achieve your goals, the more you will believe them, & the more your actions will help you achieve those goals!
Therefore, be conscious and be aware of what you are saying to yourself!
And if it’s something negative, stop, take a deep breath, and then put a positive spin on it!
For example, instead of saying,
“ugh, I guess now that I had a cookie at lunch, the rest of the day is a wash, I’m just going to eat whatever I want”
try something like,
“wow, that cookie I had at lunch was really good! It was nice to treat myself to my favorite dessert. I’m really looking forward to tonight’s dinner now!”
Or, instead of beating yourself up for not working out today, honor that you listened to your body & gave it the extra rest that it needed, and now you can’t wait to spend this new extra time with your family!
And tomorrow, you’ll be excited to get back to it!
Step Two:
Accept that Small Wins ARE Enough
Small wins are what add up to our bigger wins.
No one goes from 0 to 60, we all move forward one day at a time.
So celebrating the small wins will keep you motivated and keep you going, when mayyyybe, you just don’t feel like it.
Without taking each step along the way, you’ll never get to the top of the staircase.
Each step is a literally step in the right direction.
Acknowledge that, honor that, and remember how far you’ve come when you feel like giving up.
Step Three:
Aim for Progress, Not Perfection
Perfection isn’t a real thing.
By aiming, & only accepting, perfection from yourself, you are setting yourself up for failure.
We’re human, so naturally, we aren’t perfect.
You are more likely to achieve your goals if you focus on being a little bit better each day.
Or a little bit stronger each day.
Rather than being perfect each day.
Because things happen.
You get sick & can’t workout.
Or someone bring donuts into the office ad of course, who’s going to pass on a free donut?!
Just because you “treat yourself” or skip your workout doesn’t mean you won’t ever achieve your goals!
It means you are human & that you are enjoying the pleasures of life!
So stop trying to be perfect, & just try to progress!
Step Four:
Learn to Praise Yourself for Reaching Your “Smaller” Goals
Similarly to step two, you have to celebrate reaching your “smaller” goals.
Just like how it’s mentioned in SMART Goal Setting, you should take your larger, overarching goal, and break it down into smaller, more bite-sized goals.
Not only is this a great way to track your progress, but it’s also a great way to stop the “all or nothing” mentality!
When you realize that you’ve been enjoying life’s pleasure, but still chipping away at your larger goal, you start to realize that you don’t have to be 100% in to reach your goals.
You see that you can have balance, you can celebrate & skip a workout, and still make progress (again, it’s about progress, not perfection!).
And adding praise or recognizing that you’re hitting your “smaller” goals, it makes this process fun!
And we all want to have fun in life, don’t we?!
So acknowledge yourself & how far you’ve come!
Praise yourself!
And quit this negative meatily ONCE AND FOR ALL!
Here’s to you!