Reframing Setbacks and Plateaus
You’ve heard it a million times –
Consistency is key.
With losing weight, learning a new skill, saving money, starting a new business, building up a following on social media…
Consistency is the not-so-secret ingredient in getting the results that you want.
And it’s easy to be consistent, right? 😂
For the first couple weeks, sure. But then…. life happens.
Things come up and get in the way, you lose steam, maybe you forget your “Why” that got you started in the first place…
It happens to everyone. It happens to me. It will never stop happening.
To succeed, you have to
- Recognize that you fell off track,
- Realize that it’s just a bump in the road and NOT the end of the road, and
- Get back on track.
Step 2 is really hard for lots of people. Often it comes down to having an “all-or-nothing” mentality. Honestly, I didn’t realize how prevalent this was until I started coaching people. We are very good at getting in our own way.
Here’s the thing:
You will experience setbacks and plateaus.
These are not signs that you can’t handle it or you’re a disaster or it’s time to give up. They’re part of the process. In fact, they’re a helpful part of the process. They usually mean that your body is adapting, recalibrating, or ready for something different. It’s not failure – it’s feedback.
Learn and adapt.
So you fell off the wagon.
Think: What threw you off? What can you do next time to prevent it?
Progress has stalled.
Ask yourself: Is it time for a change in your diet? Ready for a new workout plan? Need a week off the gym?
Your job isn’t to avoid every bump in the road – it’s to keep going, despite the inevitable bumps, with purpose and patience. Zoom out. They’re all just insignificant blips. Keep moving forward. You got this!