Repeat failures in life can make us feel helpless and like we have no power in controlling outcomes. I have seen this many times in my profession and it is quite a process to journey along with someone who always perceives that failure is inevitable. This is what the psychological state of learned helplessness is all about. Yes, life hands us many things beyond our control, but we cannot overlook the many things that we can control.
I hear regularly from people why they can't do something, why it won't work, how it will end badly and why they should quit before even starting. These types of individuals make me question my own direction and ability to succeed in life because they are so convincingly convinced! Learned helplessness is very real, and the currents in this river of perceived futility run deep. We are going to find someday soon that there needs to be a much larger spotlight put on the psychological profiles of individuals attempting health and lifestyle changes. If we cannot mentally progress to healthier thinking, then we can't progress. It is just that simple.
Learned helplessness is LEARNED, and so, positive thinking and a belief system geared toward success can be LEARNED also. When I encounter clients who operate from such a helpless place, I never miss an opportunity to point out to them the things that they are doing successfully. I think it is important that they hear this from someone else until they are willing to do self-acknowledgements or self-affirmations for themselves. It is a gradual, building process. I often tell them that I will carry them until they can carry themselves. I believe in them so much more than they do, always. This can be exhaustive at times, yet I also know that if I can help them with their mental progression, that it provides one of the biggest rewards. The joy I feel when I see someone succeed, or love themselves just a little bit more, cannot be measured. Seeing someone embrace their health and redefine their old ways of thinking is an awesome experience.
They say that if you are in the health and fitness business, you are in it because you love it and not because it will make you rich. I can certainly testify to this. I may not have much, yet I have so much more then I ever did when I was working towards some company's bottom line in corporate America. Making a difference in just one life is the ultimate paycheck.
