Reading it, I found myself wondering if the ideas could be applied to my Bright Line Eating. I started trying to convert the ideas to my thinking about BLE -- and whoa, they applied really well.
So today's blog is my attempt to convert that article's brilliant ideas about success specifically to my challenges with Bright Line Eating. Here goes:
Humans have an amazing ability to overcomplicate things. We have big dreams, but we make achieving those dreams overly complex. Soon we find that we're not succeeding, even though we still have the dreams.
Fortunately, there are three big mistakes that tend to mess up people's success. Once you're aware of these mistakes, you can shift your progress and make success more achievable. Success actually isn't that hard, if you avoid these three mistakes:
(1) You don't stick to the plan long enough.
There's a reason why some Bright Line Eaters get bracelets that say "FTFP," for "follow the fucking plan." We live in a world that adores immediate results. Pat a lotion on your skin -- ta da -- bags and wrinkles gone. Wrap yourself in aluminum pants -- ta da -- skinny legs. Tap an order into your computer -- ta da -- dinner delivered right to your door.
This happens all the time with commercial weight-loss programs. Fad diets succeed because people fall into the "immediate results" trap. We want big weight loss results in quick time. And with little effort.
The reality, though, is that achieving a big dream takes time and effort. Getting a college degree. Starting your own business. Writing a novel. Many people dream of these things but don't succeed, not because they don't have the potential or ability. Because they give up too soon.
BLE is like this. Even if you have great success during the boot camp, for many people (maybe most), getting to goal weight requires sticking with it for a period of time. Those who succeed don't necessarily have more ability or willpower or strength than those who don't. They tend to be those who stay the course.
When you read biographies of successful individuals, you often find this same motif motif: they made a plan and stuck to it. People who achieve great things are consistent and are patient with the time it takes to let the results happen.
(2) You stop believing in yourself.
This is tied up with number one, but it's slightly different. People who live out and embody their dreams never lose faith in their ability to succeed.
If you're struggling with keeping your bright lines, it's likely you've encountered this. When your addictive brain just won't shut up, when you're struggling with avoiding the pantry every day, when you find it hard to pass by the fast-food place on your way home, it can be tempting to just decide you can't do it.
Losing faith in your ability to do Bright Line Eating can tempt you to quit when in reality, a little shot of faith could mean getting where you want to go.
There's no magic bullet for learning to believe in yourself. But anything you can do to increase your faith in yourself can help:
Read inspirational books. Put Post-Its with inspiring quotes around your house. Follow positive message boards on Pinterest. Talk with success BLE-ers to remind youself of how many people do success with this. Set an alarm clock on your phone to deliver motivational quotes. Sign up for an inspirational quote to be delivered to your email inbox daily. Pray. Repeat mantras. Believe, believe, believe.
There's a reason self-help gurus recommend sticking inspirational Post-Its on your bathroom mirror. Mantras work. They can shift your brain into a state of believing in yourself.
(3) You don't seek out the roads that have been pre-paved by others
This one comes from a powerful quote by motivational speaker Tony Robbins: "Success leaves traces."
When you're trying to succeed at anything, look for the pathways others have laid down. Find others who have traveled to where you want to go, and follow their path.
In BLE, we have a smooth, nicely paved roadway laid down by Susan and so many others who have followed this type of food plan and eating program. Many thousands have traveled down this road. Many, many more have recovered from addictions of all kinds. And they leave pathways.
This is why Susan recommends finding someone with really strong bright lines to be your buddy if you are faltering and relapsing frequently. A successful BLE-er can be your guide, sitting in the passenger seat of your BLE car and pointing out the potholes you're likely to run into on your Bright Line journey or the exits you'll be tempted to take.
There are other pre-paved paths you can look for. The online support community is one. Podcasts, blogs, and books by Bright Line Eaters or anyone in an addiction recovery program are others.
I've found huge inspiration reading sober blogs by those in alcohol recovery, and I don't have trouble changing "alcohol" to "food" as I'm reading. The roadblocks people in sobriety encountered tend to be the same roadblocks I encounter as I'm trying to stick to Bright Line Eating.
If I follow the path that a previous successful BLE-er took, I'm more likely to get where they are -- where I want to go.
So. If you're having trouble sticking to your bright lines, be aware that it takes persistence and belief in yourself. And following a pathway already laid out by others can make your journey much easier.
If you want to read the original article, it is by Luis Congdon, published on the website addicted2success on Aug 18 2017, titled "The Ugly Truth About Success and Why You're Not Achieving it. You can find it HERE.
Disclaimer: This site is not officially affiliated with Bright Line Eating or Susan Peirce Thompson. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
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