How to Succeed in... (Life) Without Really Trying

I recently read a couple of articles talking about motivation, these led me to dig deep to find where my motivation comes from.

 I still have no idea. 

The way I think about things is, "well, it has to be done eventually, might as well be done by me, now."  I know that's not what you want to hear.
You want some flowery saying about how you just need to put your head up so you can let your hair down, and you will be fine. The fact of the matter is, the best way to get something done is just to do it.

In this article titled The Key to Getting Motivated: Give Up, the author says:

"trying to “get motivated” can often make matters worse. The real problem isn’t that you don’t feel like taking action. Rather, it’s the underlying assumption that you need to feel like taking action before you can act."

Sometimes you've just got to "buck up buttercup" and do whatever the task is. I find this especially true when dealing with health and fitness. Since exercise and eating your vegetables are considered "non-essential" activities they are easy to slough off for "another day." 

What's the best way to start exercising and eating healthy?  

Just do it!

 Do it today, and tomorrow, and the next day. Do it everyday until it feels wrong if you don't.

Get out of your head and out of your own way. 

Speaking of getting out of your head, stop thinking so much! In this article by Precision Nutrition a few studies were performed. The subjects did not know what the study was, just that they got to test some food samples. The studies found that the subject who were actively counting calories generally ate more than those who were not. Not only did they eat more, but they felt worse after. It's the guilt circle. 

-I'm going to eat better, I'm going to totally cut out sugars and count my calories. 

-I'm so sick of salad I could vomit, but it's totally worth it. You have to be miserable to be fit, right?

-Well maybe just one brownie...oh they have pie too?!

-I just ate my weight in sugar, and all the calories allotted to me for the next three days!

-I'm a terrible person, I will never be fit, and as a result I will never make any friends, or find love.

-I'm going to re-double my efforts and start fresh, nothing but salad for a whole week!

-I'm so sick of salad I could vomit.....

You get the idea, right? 

I just want to say one thing, calm the bleep down! 

Everything is going to be okay. Correction, everything is already okay.

There have been times when the extra layer of fat on my inner thigh has sent me into a downward spiral, but being sad just made me want to eat chocolate, which made me more sad...and added more chub to the thighs. Vicious cycle.

Don't let small mistakes paralyze your progress. 

The best way to succeed, in this life, is to DO.  

Do your best, Do it often, and Do it now.

 Don't let small mistakes, or the idea that you have to feel "excited" paralyze your progress. 

In review; life can be hard, work is boring and stressful, exercise is not always fun, vegetables are not as sweet as candy, and you might occasionally be an outcast. But in the end whether you feel like it or not, just DO it.