How to Make Exercise a Habit: 2. Identify the obstacles and overcome!
There will always be something that will get in the way of your new habit. Obstacles may come in the form of an illness, loss of job or relationship problems. Heck, this whole book is about the obstacles you face. There are lots of them and I can almost guarantee something will stand in the way of your progress. No one is immune to adversity.
When adversity strikes you can choose to handle it in a positive or a negative way. If you choose to handle it negatively, then you are setting yourself up for failure. Is that what you want? Of course not! Nobody wants to fail. If you want to be successful, learn to handle adversity in a positive way. Each chapter of this book will serve as a guide to helping you overcome the obstacles that hinder you. Even if you see a chapter that doesn't pertain to you, read it anyway because it may be an issue later on.
We would all like to think there is nothing that can get in the way of making our exercise program work once we get started. Don't be so foolish as to think this is a true statement. Go into your exercise program knowing that something will stifle your progress at some point. Is this being too negative right from the start? I don't think so. It's being realistic. When you are prepared for something, you are better able to overcome it rather than be shocked by it.
You need to accept adversity as a part of life. In his New York Times bestselling book, Body For Life, Bill Phillips says, "Our character will never be fully tested until things are not going our way. Those who have the courage to succeed in spite of adversity become an inspiration. They contribute value to the lives of others. They make a difference."
When you consistently overcome adversity during the stages of your exercise program, you will become a stronger person, both mentally and physically. This strength will empower you to handle other difficulties you face with exercise and in life.
