Seven years ago, the decision to quietly add Health Coaching to our services at On-Purpose Partners was made, and it has been eye-opening for our traditional On-Purpose® coaching work with clients. The difference is the “BS Factor” is so much easier to detect with health coaching — either the client is gaining health or not. It is literally right out front and easily measured.
The scales don’t lie, but we do. Recently, one of our clients shared that he came to realize he would look in the mirror and see himself as thin. At 6′ 2″ and over 340 pounds — and NOT playing in the NFL — he was deceiving himself. Therefore, with high integrity, he could “lie” to others about his growing health problems because he didn’t “really” have one. Denial is dangerous to our health and well-being.
I was just as guilty gambling with my health! For too many years, I would look in the 
mirror and see all the “muscles” I had gained over the years. Who was I fooling? Today, I’m soooo thankful for my health that I can’t NOT share good health with others. Ah, the making of a zealot!
I still battle with a tendency to eat unhealthy because I, like so many of us, find that food = comfort, legal pleasure, and “control.” Sweets, especially carbs in the forms of ice cream, chocolate, candy, and bread are my old coping mechanisms. I can’t afford to be half-hearted about my health.
Half-hearted attempts reflect delayed decisions and unproductive rationales.
- “I’ll get around to being healthy.”
- “That hot fudge sundae won’t kill me.”
- “If I don’t call that client today …”
God gave us a whole heart so why make half-hearted attempts with it? Your purpose is symbolized by your heart.
Here’s the essence of the problem: when we don’t know who we are, why we exist, where we are going with our lives, and what’s important, then we’re not right with ourselves.
This being out of personal integrity stirs unhealthy emotions. The vast majority of us “drug” ourselves to dull the pain. My drug of choice is sweets. For others it may be alcohol, shopping, gambling, exercise, drugs (legal and illegal), sexual activities, gaming, sports, and so forth. Running from ourselves only gets us lost further from where we started.
The result: we’re half-hearted, too busy, and spread too thin even as the spread is widening between who we are and who we’ve become.
Get in touch with your identity via your purpose, especially. Invest the time to also clarify your vision, mission, and values. You’ll be prepared to be more fully engaged in your life. When you better know who you are, you’ll discover half-hearted attempts are episodes in your life, but they no longer define your life. You are literally a better person!
When you more regularly have the benefit of whole-hearted living, then half-hearted attempts are seen for what they are — a waste. Either make a decision to go for it or not. Dithering is destructive to body, mind, and spirit. Choose your battles to win.
Show Up
I’m low on the shrewd scale. I too often take what people say at face value. It wasn’t until we had the health coaching business that I realized how much people say that they will do but don’t actually do it. Many are highly regarded colleagues, thought leaders, coaches, leaders, and professionals. It has been eye-opening for me to come to terms that it is about 50/50 between the dos and don’ts on commitments.
A friend taught us an expression years ago that Judith and I still use today. Here it is: “Mr. Say am here. Mr. Do ain’t showed up.” There it is in a nutshell! We’re overworked, stressed, getting fatter, and whatever other pennies we earn, we pay in pounds packed on the waist. When we don’t show up, the weight gain shows up.
Personally: Are you making half-hearted attempts to get healthy?
- If a health coach forwarded this message to you then ask him or her for their help. Learn how easy it is to get healthy when you have a professional health coach guiding you. And then make the commitment whole-heartedly.
- If you need a Health Coach, then email me and I’ll get you a free 30-minute consultation with one of our Certified Health Coaches.
At work: Are you frustrated with your half-hearted work?
- Do you dream of starting a business where you can give meaningful and profitable expression to who you are?
- Please email me to set up a time to visit so you can be more fully engaged in your life and work.
Be On-Purpose!
Kevin