Our world is rife with a million different “get thin quick” schemes and “rapid weight loss” products, with new ones stepping on the market every week.

Today I’m going to tell you about the single one that actually works.

Ray Allen is a top NBA player who has won two championships, with both the Boston Celtics and the Miami Heat. In an article, “Letter to My Younger Self,” he writes to himself as a thirteen year old. He tells himself:

“You’ll put up more than 26,000 shots in your career. Almost six out of 10 won’t even go in. I told you this game was a sonofabitch. Don’t worry, though. A successful man is built of 1,000 failures. Or in your case, 14,000 misses. You’ll win a championship in Boston. You’ll win another in Miami. The personalities on those two teams will be different, but both teams will have the same thing in common: habits. Boring old habits. I know you want me to let you in on some big secret to success in the NBA.

The secret is there is no secret.It’s just boring old habits.

In every locker room you’ll ever be in, everybody will say all the right things. Everybody says they’re willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to win a title. But this game isn’t a movie. It’s not about being the man in the fourth quarter. It’s not about talk. It’s getting in your work every single day, when nobody is watching.”

That’s just it, that’s the secret.

That there is no secret.

If there is an outcome you want, say losing 10lbs or get healthier, there are only three things you can control to get there: your preparation, your effort and your attitude.

That is it. It isn’t sexy, and it can be the farthest thing from easy, but it is what it is. That’s how life works. It takes doing the little things everyday to get where you want to be. Decide what you want to achieve or how you want to live, and slowly put in the habits that you will do day after day after day that bring you closer.

It can be boring, or it can be exciting. Remember, our three things that are truly in our control are our preparation, effort and attitude. The above section is our effort, make the effort easy by taking your time building habits that become second nature. Our attitude can be what really makes those habits stick. Listen to two different people talk about eating healthier:

“Oh for dinner I’m just having *sighs* chicken again, I suppose, since I’m on a diet.”

Or,

“Dinner is going to be easy tonight, I batch cooked a ton of chicken on Sunday, since I was already cooking dinner anyway. I’m just gonna mix it up in a quick stir-fry for some variety.”

Which person sounds happier? Which sounds like they’re going to have a better time achieving their goals? One person is focusing on what they’ve told themselves they have to do, the other is focusing on what they get to do.

How you feel has a tremendous impact on your outcomes. There are things in life that are out of our control, and those will likely include things we don’t enjoy. Make as many of the things within your realm of control as enjoyable as possible. Yes, there will still be hard times. But, we can handle those hard times better if our daily actions and habits bring some kind of peace or joy.

Instead of simply “trusting the process” (which is important as well), we also learn to enjoy the process. Why do some football walk-ons make it to the NFL? It isn’t just because they work hard, it’s because they find fulfillment and enjoyment in that hard work, even when it gets tough. Many five star recruits don’t even make it through their college careers. Those are the ones who enjoyed the sport when they were the all-star, to whom things come more naturally. They enjoyed winning in an easier setting, and never had to dive deep into the process to win games.

Find a way to make your “process” as enjoyable as possible. If you hate running, try lifting or cycling instead. If you hate cutting out foods, try portion control or counting macros instead. It is your process, you get to choose. The more you can enjoy the process, the quicker you will see your desired outcome.

Today, take a look at your desired outcome, and see what little habits you can input or change to ensure you’re always moving in the right direction!

Send us a message or leave a comment with your daily habits for a healthier life!