Give up all or nothing thinking to reach your goals

Have you ever broken something you love? Maybe one of the teacups from your grandmother’s set of fine china? It’s unlikely you went on to break everything in the cabinet. Yet, when we’re watching what we eat, that’s what we so often do.

“I already blew it, I’ll just start on Monday!”

Sound familiar? 

What if, when you eat something unplanned, you don’t make it into a big deal? Instead, what if you just move on and do what you’d originally intended?

For me, this one change put an end to decades of yo-yo dieting. Once I gave up all-or-nothing thinking, the process became less restrictive and more sustainable. Rather than being on a diet, it became a general pattern of eating. It’s about making choices that serve the long-term goal more often than not. It’s about focusing on what to do next, rather than worrying about what happened in the past.

So, the next time you find yourself thinking about throwing in the towel, consider the broken teacup and opt to keep enjoying the rest of the set. You’ll be glad you did!