Simple Wisdom: Do just one thing

I got an email from my client Greg yesterday. He was frustrated that he hasn't been able to make time for some of the suggestions I had given him.

Greg is the president of his non-profit organization and a published, respected writer. When we started our sessions together, I asked him to come up with three short term and long term goals. He came back with SIX for each! It is a trend I often see in highly accomplished people, like Greg - they love pushing their limits. Unfortunately, it can sometimes be counter-productive.

Our first month together started off really strong. Greg began cooking breakfast for himself (making steel cut oatmeal), eating more greens (especially bok choy), and scheduling some much needed downtime.

Yet, eventually his life began to get in the way. He started traveling regularly for work. Eating what was available, and putting off his workout routine. He's now looking to get back on track.

My advice to him: Simplify. Do just one thing each day. It can be a relatively simple act - taking the stairs, visiting the juice bar instead of Starbucks, getting on the treadmill.

Many of us tend to focus on what is wrong (perhaps the weight that doesn't want to come off). Or what we don't want to do (like going to the gym). My suggestion: shift your focus on what you CAN and WANT to be doing right now. It can be very powerful.

For an added challenge, try doing one different thing each day. You'll see that over time these healthy habits will work into your DNA.