When the Instant Gratification Monkey Returns… Again

A few months ago, the gyms finally opened up again in Amsterdam🏋️

I started working out regularly again and this time, I told myself that I would focus on the PROCESS and not on the OUTCOME.

I would not let results impact my motivation, I would focus only on showing up and would reap the benefits in the long run 😎

Yet after the first month I still couldn’t help myself from being a bit disappointed by the lack of visible results.

I knew that doing this was not productive but I couldn’t help it. It’s like I had this instant gratification monkey popping up in my head, playing the cymbals and telling me to look for results now 🐒

And this made it hard to stay motivated 😤

Sound familiar? When’s the last time you experienced this yourself?

One way I have found to overcome this is by being kinder to myself, by speaking to myself in the same way that I would speak to a friend.

A friend wouldn’t berate you for not having a six pack yet, he would encourage you to keep showing up and praise you for actually going to the gym.

I also realize that it’s completely normal for me to have these thoughts (we live in a society where it’s so easy to get everything right now) but that having them doesn’t mean I have to entertain them.

This generally helps me let go and allows me to go back to my initial plan.

I’d love to know how you convince yourself to focus on the process and not the outcome OR the journey and not the destination?

What do you tell yourself when your instant gratification monkey pops up? 🐒