An applicable quote by Bill Cosby.

losinandlovin · June 22, 2011

"IN ORDER TO SUCCEED, YOUR DESIRE FOR SUCCESS SHOULD BE GREATER THAN YOUR FEAR OF FAILURE."

This is a quote from comedian Bill Cosby that I hope will speak to you the way it spoke to me.

I am in the planning stages of a trip to Disney World with friends. I will admit to you that I HATE, and really fear the roller coaster rides. In fact Dumbo, the Tea Cups and It's a Small World rides are about as close as I am going to get to rides. As we met up planning food, which park, where to stay and such the whole issue of roller coaster rides came up. I have never done an adventurous thing in my life none to speak of any way. So I have decided I am going to attempt to be a little more daring in my new single life. I will go to Costa Rica and Zip-line one day. This is a desire that I have had for awhile now and I am willing to do what ever it takes to get there and do this. I will prepare, I will study, I will do trial runs here in Texas all to ensure I succeed when the time comes. I am scared of heights so this will be a huge challenge for me. Conquering my fear will begin in Disney World to assure success in Costa Rica.

When considering weight loss we have so many things or issues that cause us doubt that we will ever achieve our goals. Comments by co-workers, friends and family. Some are intentionally harmful, others do not mean to harm your journey, and yet they do. We all have cause to fear failure. Why not? Many of us have tried and yet have failed in this journey before. Some make great strides and get really close and then something comes along, sabotages the journey and all weight loss comes to a screeching halt. The messages we tell ourselves can be very harmful. I have been in the middle of a work out and thought success will feel so good. In the next second I hear the war inside my mind saying "You will never make this." "You can try and you may go far but you won't succeed." "Might as well stop putting anymore effort into this, it is just wasted". Does anyone else get those mixed messages from time to time or is it just me?

What do we do in those times? How do we stay on the straight and narrow of weight loss success. Might I suggest one or two things to you to as I close?

1) As self talk can do damage, it can also do good. As soon as you hear those voices (yours or some one else's) walk away. Shut it down as soon as it rears it’s ugly head. Refuse to even give the thought place in your mind.

2) Talk back. Tell your self (or the other party) that they are wrong. You are doing this, you have succeed and you will continue to succeed. The last time this happened to me I was 23 minutes into a 45 minute walk on the treadmill. I pumped up the speed and kept moving. I ended up doing 50 minutes out of spite.

3) Before you throw in the towel, think of what you have accomplished. It may be a little or it may be a lot. Either way you have done something positive. Think on those things that are positive, up lifting to your journey. What is my new catch phrase? I am not where I want to be, but thank goodness I am not where I was.

What are you afraid of? What is the fear inside of you that keeps you from joining or succeeding. We all fear failure in so many areas of our lives. There is a healthy fear but the unhealthy fear is what I am referring to today. How badly do you want success? I really want to go to Costa Rica and Zip-line but I am so very afraid. My fear is of failure, to the point I plummet to my death. However, I am going and I am doing it. What about you today? Are you willing to let go of the fear to ensure your success. Fear of failure is the most damaging fear because success is in your grasp, once you let go of the fear, you have already succeeded.

One last quote also from Bill Cosby that I thought was appropriate:

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. Please YOU!"