You’ve heard the Nike slogan, “Just do it.” It seems easy, leaving room for no excuses. But, if it’s so easy, then why is “just doing it” hard?
Recently, I decided to refocus on a habit that was no longer a habit anymore: going to the gym. I know the logic of why I should go to the gym. I recognize it will help and support my overall fitness goals. It will assist me in increasing mental clarity and focus. I will gain more energy. But, on day 4 or 5 of habit formation, I begin the long list of internal excuses of why I shouldn’t be doing it. It is inevitable. At some point, I will either try to talk myself out of something I set out to do or completely sabotage my end goal. So how do we stop ourselves from stopping ourselves?
Well, here are 3 ways I help myself push past my list of excuses to “just do it”.
Recognize the voice inside trying to stop you
You have to realize there will be something inside that will try to stop you from doing something you want to do. Why does this happen? Well for starters, it’s because we are wired to avoid pain and discomfort.
However, avoidance NEVER, EVER gets us what we want. When we avoid things, problems don’t get resolved they get bigger. Things we want to improve on go unattained. The only way through is to face the thing stopping you. So bravely face the voice inside your head and say, “No today voice, not today.”
Block out time to “just do it”
Things don’t just happen because we “will them” into existence. Things happen because we create space and take action to make it happen. For example, I have been focusing on creating a morning routine that allows me to do things I want to do before my day starts. This includes making my bed, getting my coffee, completing a chore or two, sitting in my comfy chair to read my morning devotional, going for a walk around the pond I live next to, and looking over my plan of the day. To ensure I can do these things, I have to wake up on time and make sure I don’t allow anything to distract me during the first hour and a half of my morning.
Planning and blocking out the time to do the things you have set your mind to do is a game-changer. Time just won’t appear, you have to be intentional about it. When distraction creeps in I remind myself of the commitment I made to myself and say, “Not today distractions, not today.”
Visualize the outcome
Understanding your “why” behind doing something is helpful in keeping you honed in and motivated to complete the tasks in front of you even when it gets hard. At the forefront of your mind, visualize the outcome you want as a result of doing the hard work. Get clear on why that outcome is important to you or others. Take time to reflect on it daily.
If visualizing the end goal you want to reach isn’t enough, visualize what will happen if you don’t “just do it”. For example, I told you earlier I have a goal of going to the gym consistently. One of the things I visualize happening if I don’t do it is not being able to have the energy or stamina to do the things I want to be able to do in the future (hiking, biking, travel). Not being able to do those things is not a reality I want to experience. Therefore, “just doing it” becomes a lot more enticing even though it may be uncomfortable.
No matter where you are right now, I hope this encourages you to “Just do it”. Get out of your head, don’t overthink it, block out your time, honor the commitment you are making to yourself and always visualize the outcome. If you “just do it”, who knows where you will be in the next several months.
What’s one thing you can commit to just doing right now? Comment below.
BE INSPIRED
