Choice

“We forget: In life, it doesn’t matter what happens to you or where you came from. It matters what you do with what happens and what you’ve been given.”
― Ryan Holiday

As we recently kicked off a focused Nutrition challenge with some of our clients, I’ve been reminded how easy it is to become complacent with the time and areas we’ve been given the responsibility to manage. We all have our own unique circumstances in life: family, careers, spare time, and many interests and hobbies.

What we do with each of these things is our choice. Some choose to exist and take things on reactively as they happen and others do their best to be proactive and prepare for what they can, or at least they attempt to. We can also choose our attitude in each situation and the direction you choose to go with your attitude can affect far more areas than most realize - I’ve written on this a few times now, too, so I won’t belabor the point.

Focusing on improving an area, such as nutrition in this example, is something many avoid. It’s uncomfortable being confronted with the downstream, sometimes unintended, consequences of our actions. Looking at things rationally, with facts, helps us make the best decisions we can.

We all know drinking soda and eating a heavy load of sugar regularly increases our risk of health problems. We also know this when it comes to alcohol, highly processed foods, and either eating too much or too little. Yet, many choose to live in blissful ignorance about these subjects. Knowing they are harmful, yet continuing to do them.

That is their choice, yes. But, our job is to call attention to what we know is coming for those we’re responsible for via our relationship as coaches or friends, family, and our sphere of influence. We provide data, ask hard questions, encourage people to think for themselves and research. Many times, coming to your own conclusions will help you stick with a decision much longer than if someone pushes you into that decision.

Also, thinking through a problem or an issue helps you encourage and educate those around you - and even have great discussions with those that may disagree with your findings. In today’s environment of censorship, social media mud-slinging, and easily offended people, having a good discussion with differing views can be extremely challenging. But, it’s imperative we sustain the ability to choose to have these discussions. Even if someone says something you disagree with or offends you, try to take a step back and ask yourself what you can learn from their perspective or how you can help them understand your viewpoint better.

Coming back to nutrition, we challenge our clients with many things they may not want to hear, or even things that make them question what they have have previously learned about food and its effect on health. Through having difficult discussions and being presented with information, they are provided with the choice to make their own conclusions or try something new. Many times we see small changes or new ideas make massive differences in their health. I would argue this also provides a similarly large benefit to their ability to process new ideas and perspectives, benefiting them in many other areas of life outside of the gym.

Next time you find yourself reacting quickly to an opinion, perspective, or something you don’t agree with, take a step back and truly think about the content. Why did you react the way you did? Do you really understand the other person’s point or perspective? What can you learn from them? What can you help them with? What common ground do you have with them? The more we can self reflect and ask these questions, the more we’ll learn and the better we will understand each other.