This post is deep but it’s what most people need to create long term behavior change. Our daily routines and habits are a huge part of where we are in life now and where we will be in the future.

But behind everything we do is 3 main drivers…

  1. Beliefs
  2. Skills
  3. Identity

What are each of these things exactly?

I’m going to use fitness and fat-loss examples but they can be applied to any area of life.

== BELIEFS ==

We all have beliefs. They are the things we will not waver on. Some beliefs are things we are firm in and others we are open to challenging. In terms of fitness, it’s good to stay open minded since our industry is filled with many myths and misinformation.

For example, I’ve encountered people who believe….

  • My family is big boned so I have a hard time losing weight
  • My culture loves carbs so I will have a hard time losing weight

Both are beliefs that do not serve the person. To my knowledge, no big boned human skeleton has been discovered to show that some people have thicker bones than others. And ALL cultures are based on some sort of carb – rice, potatoes, wheat, etc. So, we can’t say “my” culture when all cultures have carbs.

There are beliefs that serve and beliefs that do not. We have to constantly be on the lookout for beliefs that are holding us back.

Here’s why….
Beliefs lead to feelings which lead to actions

We do things that align with our beliefs. If you believe you will have a hard time losing weight you will act as if it’s true. Even if it’s not.

== SKILLS ==

The second driver of change is having the skills required. This is the most simple one but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. In fitness, this is the skill of reading labels, meal prepping, learning how to move properly when exercising.

Like I mentioned, simple but not easy.

Every time you workout, you are practicing the skill of doing a squat, deadlift, press, row, etc. Your form gets better over time which means you are improving that skill.
The same goes with shopping and cooking. The first time in a grocery store you may buy what you need that day and the next day. Eventually you get skilled at knowing what you need for the upcoming week.

And the more meals you cook, the more efficient you get. Maybe you learn how to use less dishes or how to cook more meals in less time. Those are skills and the more you acquire, the easier it gets to live a healthy lifestyle.

== IDENTITY ==

The third driver of change is your identity. This is how you would describe yourself to others. For example, if someone says they are a “smoker” then they identify as someone who smokes and maybe they talk about “trying to quit”.

But if someone identifies as a “non-smoker” then they identify as someone who “doesn’t smoke”. There’s no struggle internally for them because it’s simply not who they are. They don’t identify in that way.

Vegans typically don’t struggle with the thought of eating meat because they identify as someone who doesn’t eat meat.

The way we identify ourselves is a huge part of change.

If you want to make a change, it might require an identity shift in some ways. This doesn’t mean you have to 100% change your identity but a portion must change for it to stick long term. One of the stories I like to share is when a young girl becomes of age to become a “woman”. She might find herself at a makeup counter being told to wear foundation, lipstick and eye shadow because that’s what a woman wears.

She’s changing her identity from young girl to woman.

These are the things that she needs to step into this new identity. The same goes for “fitness people”. We buy specific things that support our lifestyle – gym clothes, reusable water bottles, supplements, high protein snacks, etc.

The words you use to describe yourself, the things you buy and the people you associate with all contribute to your identity.

== CHANGE ON THE INSIDE ==

I know this was a LONG POST but I hope it was worth the read. My goal is to show you that there’s far more to getting healthy and fit than a workout and diet change.

You have to address the person doing these things to get the long term results we desire. This took me a long time to understand but I’ve witnessed it many clients over the years.

The people who create a lifestyle change are the ones who have beliefs, skills and an identity that serves them. The people who struggle externally are struggling internally.

Nothing changes on the outside until things change on the inside.

Have a great day FitFam!!