You might see a pattern in my posts each week. They are typically about identity, behavior change, mindset and leadership. That’s because I’ve learned over the years that fat-loss is far beyond workouts and nutrition.

What you see in the body starts in the mind.

And so that’s why I get fired up and talking about the subjects you won’t hear at any other gym.

Let’s dive into this week’s subject….WHO BEFORE DO!

Here’s an interesting question….who are you?

When I ask that most people will go to a job title (I’m a nurse) or a role in someone else’s life (I’m a mother) or their ethnicity or their age or their gender.

What I learned is that when you say “I am” it’s typically a collection of memories and stories. When someone says “I’m a mother” they are thinking back of the memories of giving birth, raising the child, first steps, birthday’s, etc.

Your identity is tied to the memories and stories of your life.

That’s why it can feel so difficult to change it.

People who keep having a problem over and over again don’t have a habit issue…..they have an identity issue.

YOU ACTIVITY FLOWS FROM YOUR IDENTITY

You can set goals but it won’t stick unless you think differently about who you are. Who before do.

So many people start with the WHAT first…

  • Workouts 3x week
  • Eat healthier
  • Get to bed by 9:30pm

But in their mind, their subconscious is saying “no you aren’t.” Our mind can sometimes be our worst critic.

Why does it say such harsh things?

  • Sometimes we define our identity based on how others label us (clumsy, always late, not a morning person)
  • Sometimes we define ourselves as the worst in us
  • Sometimes it doesn’t believe because there’s no evidence

To really create a long term change, you must transform you identify not change your behaviors.

  • Since I’m a healthy person, I’ll go to the gym 3x week
  • Since I’m a healthy person, I’ll eat healthy foods 80% of the time
  • Since I’m a healthy person, I’ll turn off TV by 930 so I can get enough sleep

Notice these statements have an IDENTITY before the behavior. Start with who before do.

And the cool part is that you build more and more evidence that this NEW identity is who you are, the more and more you believe in yourself and build confidence.

Back to the mother example…

  • A woman with no children could say out loud “I’m a mom” but the mind doesn’t believe it. There’s no evidence.
  • Then she gives birth and she says the same statement “I’m a mom” and immediately the mind has evidence to believe.
  • Then she mothers the child for 5 years and she says it again “I’m a mom” and the mind says HECK YES YOU ARE!

The same goes for someone who wants to build an identity of a healthy person. When they first say it and they’ve never stepped foot in a gym, it doesn’t believe. Then you start to take action to build a case that this is a new you and overtime it believes.

Focus on WHO before DO.

Feed your mind statements of WHO you want to become through the journey. What is your identity outcome? I bet it’s to become a more fit, healthier and confident version of you.

  • Since I’m a healthy person, I’ll go to the gym 3x week
  • Since I’m a healthy person, I’ll eat healthy foods 80% of the time
  • Since I’m a healthy person, I’ll turn off TV by 930 so I can get enough sleep

Final thing I want to point out.

When you change your identity, you begin shift the identity of your family.

If your family has an “unhealthy identity” then you are the one to change it forever. Think about the power of that. The person that comes into a family tree and changes it from unhealthy to healthy.

How many generations can thank YOU for doing that?

How many generations will be grateful YOU broke the cycle?

Every family needs ‘the one’ to come and change things forever. You are that one every time you step into a healthy identity.