Redefining perceived 'failures'
We know how frustrating it can be when you're trying to lose weight and you see the number on the scale go up. Or when you're trying to increase athletic performance and the movements feel more difficult than usual. Even when, perhaps, it's self-inflicted. Maybe you didn't follow your nutrition plan all week, spent a weekend partying, and then step on the scale Monday morning and are disappointed by what you see. Is that a failure?
We'd argue that it's not a failure, and here's why: every decision we make that leads to a result is a piece of data - knowledge that we can use to inform our future decisions. The fact that you drank a bunch one weekend and you couldn't hit a back squat weight that "should" be easy for you - it's not a reflection of your worth. Instead, it demonstrates how alcohol intake can affect your athletic performance; and perhaps the next time around you either choose to drink less or don't schedule a PR attempt right after a party. Or the fact that you didn't track macros while on a trip and then the number on the scale increased when you got back - it has nothing to do with your value as a person. Instead, perhaps it demonstrates that you've still got work to do before you're ready to try intuitive eating; or maybe next time you're on vacation, you focus on getting protein and veggies with your meals; OR maybe you just get comfortable with the fact that you're likely to see a temporary spike after a week at the beach!
These outcomes are simply data - they give you information about what happened, and help you take actions that best serve you next time around. That's it. And when you come to understand and accept this, it becomes much easier to let go of the negative feelings and get right back to crushing your goals!
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