“This is a big issue and all of us have been there,” says Lovelace Bariatrics Director Dr. Duc Vuong. “Before we know it, we’re off track.” The journey to a healthier life is not always an easy one. Yes, you’ve made the decision to make healthier decisions and yes, you were successful the first day, maybe the first week or even first month. But old habits die hard, right? It’s why we keep going back to old ways and therefore get the old results we’ve dealt with time and time again. To help get us back on track, Dr. Vuong recently shared these three tips in his weekly Periscope “Real Talk with Dr. V.”
1. What do you mean by motivation?
First, we have to define what we mean by motivation, Dr. Vuong says. “Is it how you keep from stopping?” he asks. “How do you stay inspired? How do you stay on track when other people are trying to tempt you? Or do you mean lack of will power?” When you ask yourself those questions, what does motivation mean to you personally? Secondly, Dr. Vuong says we need to realize where it comes from. “Have you ever thought about it? The answer is – it comes from inside. You have to stay motivated and you have to generate that motivation.”
Relying on others to spark that motivation is too risky. “You can’t wait for someone else to come along and motivate you,” Dr. Vuong explains. “What if they don’t show up? What if they fell asleep or missed you?” We are in charge of our own lives and therefore, we are in charge of our own motivation.
2. Dream big dreams.
Although it may not sound intuitive to everyone, if you want to be successful at something, it needs to be something significant enough to be more than just a desire or want – it needs to be bigger than that. Quoting Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Dr. Vuong explains what he means by dream big dreams: “Dream no small dreams for they have no power to move the hearts of men.”
Is your dream to fit into your skinny jeans or to live to see your grandchildren grow up? “People quit because their dreams are too small,” Dr. Vuong says. “It doesn’t get you out of bed.” Make sure your dreams are bigger than your reasons for giving up.
3. Know your “whys”.
“Your ‘whys’ are everything,” Dr. Vuong says. Why do you want to have a better relationship with your husband? Why do you want to be considered for that next promotion? Why do you want to live without regrets or feeling like you were holding back your entire life? “Find your whys and hold on to them. They are your compass, your purpose, your beacon in the night. Remember it is not what you are eating, it’s what’s eating you.”
Your “whys” are what is bothering you. “Figure out what is making you angry. What you are angry about right now is your why.”
Tune into Periscope weekdays at 7 p.m. to hear more “Real Talk with Dr. V.”