CONTROL THE CONTROLLABLE
One of the biggest reasons people struggle to make progress isn’t because they don’t know what to do…
It’s because they spend too much time worrying about the things they can’t control.
Take a look at the diagram below.
There are three circles
At the centre are the things you have total control over.
Your effort.
Your mindset.
Your actions.
The choices you make today.
These are the things that deserve the majority of your time and energy.
The next circle contains the things you have some control over.
Your schedule.
Your home environment.
Your support network.
Life will always throw challenges your way, but you can prepare for them. You can meal prep if you know you’ve got a busy week. You can pack gym clothes if you’re heading straight from work. You can ask friends or family to support your goals.
Then there’s the outer circle…
The things you have no control over.
The weather.
Your body shape.
Other people’s opinions.
Past decisions.
These are the things that often take up the most space in our minds, despite the fact we can’t change them.
Think about how often you’ve heard (or maybe even said):
“It’s raining, I’ll skip the gym.”
“I’ve always been this shape.”
“I ate badly yesterday, so this week’s ruined.”
None of those thoughts move you any closer to your goal.
Instead, ask yourself one simple question:
“What’s the next best decision I can make?”
Maybe it’s drinking another glass of water.
Maybe it’s getting out for a walk.
Maybe it’s choosing a meal with plenty of protein and vegetables.
Maybe it’s making it to the gym, even if you’re only there for 30 minutes.
Small decisions, repeated consistently, have a much bigger impact than waiting for the perfect time to start.
Remember…
You can’t change what happened yesterday.
You can’t control the weather.
You can’t control what other people think.
But you can control what you choose to do today.
And that’s where progress starts.
Erin Grant
Head of Gyms | MNU Certified Nutritionist
