Why are the last 10 pounds the hardest to lose? I’ve got 10 that have plagued me for over two decades. I’ve complained and lamented over them, yet they remain.
It’s ridiculous.
10 stinkin’ pounds?!
As I was thinking through this grumble, it seemed a metaphor for other things in our lives where we fall short or accept ‘good’ as ‘good enough’ instead of reaching for greatness. We complain and lament. We put the brakes on right before the finish line, falling just short of our goal, constantly taunted by the view, but never making the effort to get across the victory line.
Just to clarify before we move on. I’m NOT suggesting that you nor I need to lose 10 pounds in order to accomplish ‘greatness’. But what I’m absolutely saying is that IF we set reasonable, healthy, positive goals, AND then WE CHOOSE to stop short, we establish a mindset of mediocrity and defeat.
And this will breed long term, destructive results.
Let’s start with a few basic examples:
- I had six different piles to sort through a few months ago. I got five done and the last one is still sitting on the floor.
- When we moved into our new house, I unpacked every room right away except for one, which still remains stuffed with boxes.
- My house is fairly decluttered, and the garage is in decent shape, but there is a junk pile in the corner of my yard which aggravates me every time I see it.
Can you relate to these common scenarios which I’ve heard over and over again?
What stops us from going the distance? From staying the course UNTIL THE VERY END? What message are we sending ourselves that lets us off the hook so easily and convincingly? What message are we sending to those around us, in particular, our kids?
Consider more serious illustrations and consequences of this mindset and behavior:
- LOVE – If we don’t give our all to the most meaningful relationships in our lives, they will cease to be meaningful.
- ACADEMICS – You’re taking a pop quiz for school and there are only 5 questions. You studied, but not quite enough. You skip just one question and instantly the best grade you can get is a very low ‘B’. A less than impressive effort will speak for itself in the grades you earn.
- HEALTH & FITNESS – When exercising, your coach instructs you to do 3 reps of each set, but decide 2 each is good enough. If you worked out three times each week, over the course of a year, that could equate to skipping almost a 1000 reps. Falling short here and there adds up to less calories burned and less body tone. Less success. And it will show.
- JOY – You shop, prepare and set the table for a beautiful meal you’ve planned for your husband or wife. They walk in the door from work and you realize you never put the roast in the oven. Not following your plans through to the end completely wiped out all your hard work. And left you and your honey disappointed, and hungry too.
Okay, so I jest a bit with the last example. Not putting the roast in the oven probably wasn’t an intentional choice to fall short, but it demonstrates the importance of following through with every step from START to FINISH. Not doing so will compromise love, academics, health & fitness, and joy, among so many other things.
Is there a time to reevaluate and adjust your goals? Absolutely. Perhaps priorities have changed along the way or there’s simply a need for revision. When you were at 210 lbs, 120 lbs sounded perfect, but as you conquered your battle of the bulge, you realize that 130 feels healthy, fit, and right. If 130 is your ‘GREAT’, you aren’t selling yourself short! This is NOT an example of a mediocre effort.
But when a lack of discipline, effort, or motivation has you choosing to settle for ‘good enough’, you sabotage success and undermine any opportunity to claim victory over challenges that hold you in bondage.
I want to encourage you today to get rid of those last 10, or tackle whatever those last 10 represent in your life. Here are seven action words to help you do just that!
[Tweet “”Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.” Col 3:23″]
Stop thinking about finishing strong and do it. Create an Action Plan to help get you across the victory line. When you’re on the other side, you’ll be SO GLAD you did!
Need help with your Action Plan? Click here for a FREE template to help get you started.
Blessings to you!
Love this!!! I too struggle not only with the literal 10 (or 15) pounds, but also with the other things that I come just this close to completing and then I don’t. My inner dialogues says, “Well you’ve made a lot of progress and you DESERVE a break.” I lose all momentum and drive to finish because I give into the idea that I DESERVE to relax or stop working out or eat whatever garbage I think I need to eat. I love the 7 action words! I may print those out and hang them on the fridge. I also love your point about the message we’re sending to others especially our kids. OUCH!! I hate to think that Madison is watching me almost make the goals I’ve set for myself, but never quite attaining them. That is definitely not something I want her to learn. Thank you for another awesome blog post!!!