The Shift

Recently I made the brilliant decision to cut wheat out of my diet. I call it “brilliant” because I did not realize that damn near everything has wheat in it. I have been having dreams of philly cheesesteaks and pizza. So far I have remained strong, but during this process I have notice a shift occur in myself.

I am a typical American that is fixated solely on how something tastes. YES, I miss my wheat but I am noticing that I am not wiped out after a meal anymore. Instead of just focusing on taste, I am beginning to pay attention to how food is making me feel. The better I feel, the less I am having my visions of bread.

In order for people to change their lives, certain fundamental shifts need to occur beneath the surface. These shifts are often so subtle that we don’t even realize they have occured. This does not mean they are any less powerful.

Here are three shifts that need to happen in order to have permanent change.

Shift 1- A Shift In Focus

We are what we pay the most attention to. My focus at 20 was finding the fun and finding the girls. My focus now is finding my purpose. I am still on a quest of sorts but now my focus is on something other than instant gratification. If you are wondering why your life has not changed or why you have not lost the weight it is because your focus is on the wrong thing. Most people are focused on what they will lose-all they can think about is loss. The mind does not like loss. There needs to be a shift in focus to all of the things you will gain like new clothes, more energy, and your health.

Shift your focus and you will see a dramatic difference in your results.

Shift 2- A Shift In Priorities

Your actions tell the story. If I follow you throughout the day, I will know exactly what your priorities are. That woman with the ripped midsection and the ass you dream of having has made her body a priority. She wakes up at 5am to workout and plans all of her meals during the day. Now compare her to an obese person who wakes up 15 minutes late, grabs something through the drive-thru for breakfast, and never sees the inside of a gym. Is health a priority to this person?

Analyze your daily actions and you will discover your priorities. A lot of people swear that something is a priory, but upon further analysis their daily habits tell another story.

Shift 3- A Shift In Identity

This one is the most subtle because it is internal. You have all of these labels that act like invisible scripts for you to follow. Let’s say for example you are a latin woman living in Texas in 2016. What kind of things does that identity entail? Are you a meat eater or vegan? Is your body type considered favorable? Are you polite or rude? What kind of clothes are acceptable for a person with those labels? Now think about if that same person was a mechanic? How does that change their script?

The most powerful way to change your life is to change your identity. You have to make this shift before any permanent external changes will happen. I know a few people who have lost a lot of weight but when you interact with them you can tell they still identify themselves as the “fat kid”. They never addressed their personal identity and there is a good chance the weight will come back because that is still how they see themselves.

Shifting how you identify yourself is like creating this internal GPS that will lead you to the life you want. We all know that uncle that was the alcoholic, troubled black sheep of the family. One day he shows up to the reunion cleaned up and in a suit. He now calls himself a Christian and wants to talk to you about Jesus. For 30+ years that man walked around with the identity of the “black sheep” and lived up to that script. When he found the church, it offered him a different identity-a man of God and that gave him a completely different life.

That is the power that a shift in your identity can have.

These three shifts have to occur if you want any changes in your life to stay. If you do not shift your focus, priorities, and identity then you will eventually revert back to the same old behaviors.

Shifts….they can be subtle, but they determine everything.