Please give details of a time when you have had to motivate yourself to achieve a personal goal.
What were you working to achieve?
Spending 4 years as a technical student and worker in London, I became less considerate about my fitness and health and according to my body mass index I was 15 Kgs overweight. I made a decision to correct the situation in both my body and attitude and wanted to work hard to achieve this change through exercise and dieting.
After university it was my plan to visit my girlfriend in China as we had previously only known each other on the internet. We decided that while I was in China, I should become a foreign oral English teacher as it suited the purpose of having enough free time and flexibility to make regular use of the gym. This goal had to operate in conjunction with contending with a new cultural and language environment, different food, an unfamiliar type of work and new circumstances in the relationship with my girlfriend.
How did you motivate yourself?
I dreamt about being thinner and not being so embarrassed when seeing pictures of myself. I chose equipment at the gym, such as the treadmills, that encouraged me to complete the allotted time and level of difficulty. A big influence for me to keep going was the idea of being responsible to my family and girlfriend and not wanting to disappoint them. I thought about how good it would be to be healthy, and having a good level of fitness and stamina.
I was greatly supported by my girlfriend to keep with the regiment of 6 gym visits per week. My days of rest became a source of inspiration for me to keep going as I began to value my time much more and using it more wisely. I also began to enjoy eating more and valuing the times when I ate my favourite foods.
What was the outcome?
The outcome was that I lost 15 kilos in 12 weeks, and going to the gym has become a regular part of my life. I am far more careful when I consider what I’m eating, and I have on the whole stopped drinking beer. Health is something that needs to be carefully considered and if there are any problems, it’s easier to be corrected sooner rather than later.
The most important thing that I’ve learnt is about how much can be achieved if you set your heart and mind on something, the difficulties can be overcome, even when emotionally it seems impossible. The support of a stable relationship and a loving family is also a powerful force, and if it is focused correctly, it can be very beneficial in one’s own life.
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