Outcomes vs. Behaviors

This lesson came across my mailbox today* and it makes SO. MUCH. SENSE. Seriously, you can be told something 10 different ways, and the 11th something clicks, and you're like "OK, now I see what you were getting at."

Behavior vs. Outcome Goals

The world is pretty uncontrollable. Life happens.

- If you want to sell your house for a good price, you can renovate it and give it a fresh coat of paint. But you can’t control the real estate market.
- If you want to have a nice picnic with your spouse, you can pack a basket and blanket and plan your route to the park. But you can’t control the weather.
- If you want to lose weight, you can eat well and stay active. But you can’t control your fat cells.

You can’t make your body lose 20 pounds on command any more than you can make sure your house is worth a certain amount when you sell it.

In other words, you can’t control the outcome.

But you can control the behaviors that lead to the outcome you want.

Why does this hit home? Because I work in a crazy unpredictable job. Some days I get out at 6:30pm, and some I get out at 1am, and I usually don't know what that's going to be until 6:30 (or 1am). And it makes me super anxious and throw up my hands, wailing to myself "I hate my life!"

But the thing is, I chose this life, and I'm stuck with it for awhile. So. What can I do *today* and *this week* to make sure that my behaviors get me to where I want to be, even if my work has other ideas?

Today, I got my ass to the gym early, and did some intervals on the rower after I did some lifting. If work gets crazy tonight, I know I've given myself endorphins and a workout that will help me get through the day. I also ate slowly, some stewed apples and kale, and protein. And to carry on this good eating, I'm vowing to stay clean all day, and not deprive or over indulge. This is all something that circumstances can't change.

What can I do for the rest of the week for my goals? Plan ahead. It's something I'm NOT good at, and something I avoid at all costs. But if I am at the whim of an unpredictable surrounding, I need to plan out to the extent I can, giving myself alternatives, so when it is 1am and I'm leaving work, I'm not feeling like I haven't done anything for myself that day.



*this came to my email via Precision Nutrition. A program I knew nothing about a month ago, that is ROCKING my world these days. You really have to root around their site. The cover page had me all >_>, but the knowledge that they drop on me daily is making me go O_O!!!