[g_podcast id="8088086"]
In this episode I talk about:
Welcome to 2019, I really hope you've had a good start to the new year! This is Julia Gruber, your host here on the Darmglück podcast. I'm really looking forward to this New Year, because I've got a lot planned!
And you? Did you use the time between the years to make peace with the past year and set the course for a successful New Year?
Maybe you even made a few good resolutions for 2019? For example, to pay more attention to your diet and your health?
Then I'm sorry to tell you that 92% of people who make resolutions throw them to the wind after just 3 weeks!
Why is that? Because they go about it the wrong way!
Me included, by the way. Because what I'm going to talk to you about today is not a topic that I've mastered in my life and what I'm going to give you are things that I'm currently working on myself! But I thought it might help you if I told you a bit about what I've already found out and it's also more fun if you can tackle these things together.
Personally, I've hired a coach for this year to take a big step forward on the topics of setting and achieving goals, subconscious processes and attitude to life.
If you listened to the last podcast episode(click here for episode 020), then you already know a few things, such as the importance of the questions you ask yourself and that motivation doesn't just come naturally. If you've been following me for a while, you may have noticed that it's very important for me to get to the root of things, the core.
And that's exactly what we're doing in this episode about setting goals.
Most people set goals analytically, with the left hemisphere of the brain, which is responsible for our thinking, planning and organizing. But goal achievement actually lies in our reptilian or brain stem, the oldest part of our brain.
This rational approach then leads you to think that you simply need to name the goal and then think about a few steps and then just get to work. But that's not exactly how it works and by February at the latest you will have fallen back into old patterns.
Our reptilian brain will do everything it can to prevent you from changing. Because from its point of view, change means danger.
That's why we'll talk a little further down about why emotions and the right side of the brain are so important for setting goals and how to get your subconscious on board. To make sure your New Year's resolutions work this time.
But before that, I would like to mention a recurring recommendation about The SMART goals.
You may have heard of the SMART formula for setting goals. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Attractive, Realistic and Time-bound.
If you're like me, you'll be impressed by these clever formulas at first. Because it's clear that someone has put a lot of thought into it and it sounds logical at first glance that if I set myself concrete, specific, realistic goals, I'll achieve them.
But do you know how I've fared with such goals so far? I was super motivated for a few days and, above all, optimistic and hopeful - until I somehow realized after a short time that I wasn't so consistent with achieving them after all! And then I was also disappointed in myself and a little frustrated.
The solution to this problem lies where I always say the problem lies with nutrition and gut health. We approach things from the wrong side. We start with the external things, whereas it makes more sense to start from the inside. If we start at the core, or the foundation, then I am able to achieve sustainable change.
My coach Jim showed us a model that probably comes from NLP and is called Logical Levels.
You can imagine it as a pyramid with 6 different levels. At the top of the pyramid is what we generally set as our goal. It is the level of the environment. This is where our body is located, for example. Or our bank account. Or a new car.
With the classic goals and New Year's resolutions, we want to change this environment, i.e. the top of the pyramid, for example to lose 10 kg, have more energy, sleep better and so on. To achieve these goals, we think we simply need to change our behavior. Eat healthily. Go to the gym. Turn off the TV earlier in the evening.
As I said, we usually manage to do this for a few days. And are proud and confident that it will continue. But the euphoria usually fades after three weeks, we have already made one or two exceptions and the good intentions are forgotten just as quickly as we had set them.
And why is that? Because we have completely ignored the lower levels of the pyramid! But the top of the pyramid rests on these lower levels, and if we want to achieve change there, we have to start with the foundation.
And the foundation rests on our identity. Who we are. And usually on an unconscious level.
Our unconscious identity is created through constant repetition. Things that we do over and over again. Habits, if you like, or beliefs. If you have always loved sweets for as long as you can remember and it has therefore become second nature to you that you are a sweet tooth, then you identify with being a sweet tooth. And maybe you're not even aware of it.
Or, if you'd like to lose weight but you've heard all your life that we're just built tighter in our family, that it's our genes, then that's also something that unconsciously forms part of your identity has. You see yourself as overweight because you have been told over and over again that this is just the way it is in your family.
These are just two examples, but perhaps it will help you to recognize what is running as a program in the background because you have heard it over and over again or told yourself so.
Let's go back to the pyramid with the 6 levels. Let's proceed like an onion and start with the outermost layer. This is the primary goal, or the top level, the environment.
Below this, on the fifth level, is the behavior. And just as a reminder, this is what most people focus on. I just have to change my behavior and then I will reach my goal without any problems. Anyone who has ever wanted to lose weight is guaranteed to have heard this: all you have to do is eat less and exercise more. Then you'll automatically lose weight. Exactly. That's why it works so well.
So, most people only stick to levels 6 and 5. But let's get to the heart of the matter. Level 4 is where your skills are. What do you need to be able to do in order to change your behavior? If you don't know how to put together a healthy diet or if you can't prepare vegetables in a tasty way, then you won't be able to eat healthily or lose weight.
Level 3 is where your stories are located. Your inner dialog. For example: I used to always have to eat Brussels sprouts and was only allowed to get up from the table when the plate was empty. That's why I hate vegetables.
On level 2 you will find your beliefs, such as healthy eating means doing without, healthy food doesn't taste good and so on.
And on the lowest level, the foundation, this is where your identity is located. For example: I'm just not disciplined. Or I'm just fat, it's in my genes.
Let me say a few words about the topic of goals. In all my consultations and online courses, I always make sure that you formulate your goal in such a way that it appeals to you emotionally. Because only if you have a really good goal, a why, will you be motivated to fight your reptilian brain and bring about real change.
To stick with the example of losing weight: simply saying I want to lose 10kg is not at all exciting, motivating or emotional. Instead, you could make the goal: I will wear a beautiful fitted dress to my daughter's wedding and feel light and happy.
If you are planning to join the next round of my Gut Happiness online course, you will also do an exercise with me to find your real reason for wanting to be healthier.
Once you have found this motivating goal with an emotional meaning for you, ask yourself:
So basically, it's not about asking yourself: what do I have to do to achieve my goal, but who do I have to be to make it a reality.
Ghandi said:
So you see, it's about changing your being, your identity, if you want to achieve a change in your external circumstances. And that is precisely why this much-cited discipline that we need is not really the point. Because we can't muster this discipline if we don't have an identity at our core that is conducive to what we want to achieve.
But: if you see discipline as commitment, as sticking with it, then that is definitely a quality that we can use very well at the identity level. We have talked about how our identity is shaped by the stories and beliefs that we have repeated over and over again. And through activities that we have performed over and over again until they have become automatic habits.
And this is exactly how we can change our identity again: through repetition.
And that's why it's worth acquiring new habits that aren't too much of a stretch for you. For example, making the bed every day. Or putting the dishwasher away in the evening. Small things that are quick, but that you really do every day.
Here I'll show you an example of how you can keep track of these habits. You can simply save the image and print it out (right-click and save) or you can transfer a list like this to your agenda.
Finally, I'd like to tell you what my goals are for the New Year and give you a little preview of what you can expect from me this year.
Personally, I've called this year my year of self-care. I want to take the best possible care of myself, because I can only be truly useful to those around me (family, friends, customers, listeners, readers) if I'm doing well.
I started this back in December by switching my skincare and make-up products completely to natural cosmetics. I also did a podcast episode with Schareska from Amo Como Soy on the subject of natural cosmetics. In January, I will start another ketogenic phase with a personal nutrition plan from our partner Foodpunk. I would like to lose a little more body fat and prepare myself optimally for a packed year in terms of energy levels. I've also already recorded a podcast episode with Marina from Foodpunk , episode 17.
I'm planning to share a little more about my self-care measures in my free Facebook group and on Instagram, maybe you'd like to join in!
You can find the link to this group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/502317769835023/
And you can find my Instagram profile @juliaelisabethgruber
Professionally, my goal for 2019 is to focus very strongly on the topic of gut happiness.
My vision is to be able to convey to as many people as possible that health is so central to us because we can only really live to our full potential if we are not constantly held back by our body. Energy, a good mood, the ability to concentrate, stamina and a positive outlook are a great basis for being able to optimize all areas of life. Our health is the foundation for this. And health starts in the gut and with our diet.
This is what Gut Happiness stands for and I will be working this year to make this even more visible and tangible.
I will therefore be running my online Gut Happiness course a few times in 2019. The course leads participants to more energy, better digestion and greater well-being in 6 weeks and the next round starts on January 28, 2019.
There will also be a therapist training course to become a gut coach in the middle of the year, which my husband and I will run together with the LCHF Germany Academy.
And I plan to publish more YouTube videos in which I speak plainly and share my experience with nutrition and gut health to encourage even more people to take their health into their own hands.
I have written down here how this is reflected in my Logical Levels, which I talked about today. You can see which skills I need, which stories, beliefs and which identity I need to achieve all of this. Maybe I'll change this over the course of the year, who knows. Nothing is set in stone. But it's always better to write something down and get started than to think about it for too long and do nothing. So, fill yours out too!
This was a pretty personal podcast episode and I'm looking forward to your feedback and what your plans are for the new year. Feel free to leave me a comment below this article and tell me what you thought of the episode. Whether you were able to take something away for yourself or what you have planned for 2019!
I look forward to hearing from you again for the next Darmglück podcast episode!
Now I recommend that you subscribe to the podcast so that you don't miss an episode, and if you like what you hear, I would really appreciate a rating on iTunes or Apple Podcast. Because these reviews also help other people find the podcast so we can spread the knowledge about gut and health more.
In this episode I talk about:
- What mistakes almost all of us make when setting our goals
- Why resolutions need to work from the inside out and not the outside in
- How we allow our unconscious to sabotage us
- How the right habits can reprogram our lives
- Why a healthy lifestyle cannot be built on discipline
- And: at the end, I'll tell you what I have planned for 2019, both personally and for our business
Welcome to 2019, I really hope you've had a good start to the new year! This is Julia Gruber, your host here on the Darmglück podcast. I'm really looking forward to this New Year, because I've got a lot planned!
And you? Did you use the time between the years to make peace with the past year and set the course for a successful New Year?
Maybe you even made a few good resolutions for 2019? For example, to pay more attention to your diet and your health?
Then I'm sorry to tell you that 92% of people who make resolutions throw them to the wind after just 3 weeks!
Why is that? Because they go about it the wrong way!
Me included, by the way. Because what I'm going to talk to you about today is not a topic that I've mastered in my life and what I'm going to give you are things that I'm currently working on myself! But I thought it might help you if I told you a bit about what I've already found out and it's also more fun if you can tackle these things together.
Personally, I've hired a coach for this year to take a big step forward on the topics of setting and achieving goals, subconscious processes and attitude to life.
If you listened to the last podcast episode(click here for episode 020), then you already know a few things, such as the importance of the questions you ask yourself and that motivation doesn't just come naturally. If you've been following me for a while, you may have noticed that it's very important for me to get to the root of things, the core.
And that's exactly what we're doing in this episode about setting goals.
Setting goals should not take place in the analytical part of our brain
Most people set goals analytically, with the left hemisphere of the brain, which is responsible for our thinking, planning and organizing. But goal achievement actually lies in our reptilian or brain stem, the oldest part of our brain.
This rational approach then leads you to think that you simply need to name the goal and then think about a few steps and then just get to work. But that's not exactly how it works and by February at the latest you will have fallen back into old patterns.
Our reptilian brain will do everything it can to prevent you from changing. Because from its point of view, change means danger.
That's why we'll talk a little further down about why emotions and the right side of the brain are so important for setting goals and how to get your subconscious on board. To make sure your New Year's resolutions work this time.
But before that, I would like to mention a recurring recommendation about The SMART goals.
SMART goals don't work either
You may have heard of the SMART formula for setting goals. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Attractive, Realistic and Time-bound.
If you're like me, you'll be impressed by these clever formulas at first. Because it's clear that someone has put a lot of thought into it and it sounds logical at first glance that if I set myself concrete, specific, realistic goals, I'll achieve them.
But do you know how I've fared with such goals so far? I was super motivated for a few days and, above all, optimistic and hopeful - until I somehow realized after a short time that I wasn't so consistent with achieving them after all! And then I was also disappointed in myself and a little frustrated.
The solution to this problem lies where I always say the problem lies with nutrition and gut health. We approach things from the wrong side. We start with the external things, whereas it makes more sense to start from the inside. If we start at the core, or the foundation, then I am able to achieve sustainable change.
Start at the base of the pyramid, not at the top
My coach Jim showed us a model that probably comes from NLP and is called Logical Levels.
You can imagine it as a pyramid with 6 different levels. At the top of the pyramid is what we generally set as our goal. It is the level of the environment. This is where our body is located, for example. Or our bank account. Or a new car.
With the classic goals and New Year's resolutions, we want to change this environment, i.e. the top of the pyramid, for example to lose 10 kg, have more energy, sleep better and so on. To achieve these goals, we think we simply need to change our behavior. Eat healthily. Go to the gym. Turn off the TV earlier in the evening.
As I said, we usually manage to do this for a few days. And are proud and confident that it will continue. But the euphoria usually fades after three weeks, we have already made one or two exceptions and the good intentions are forgotten just as quickly as we had set them.
And why is that? Because we have completely ignored the lower levels of the pyramid! But the top of the pyramid rests on these lower levels, and if we want to achieve change there, we have to start with the foundation.
And the foundation rests on our identity. Who we are. And usually on an unconscious level.
How is our unconscious identity created
Our unconscious identity is created through constant repetition. Things that we do over and over again. Habits, if you like, or beliefs. If you have always loved sweets for as long as you can remember and it has therefore become second nature to you that you are a sweet tooth, then you identify with being a sweet tooth. And maybe you're not even aware of it.
Or, if you'd like to lose weight but you've heard all your life that we're just built tighter in our family, that it's our genes, then that's also something that unconsciously forms part of your identity has. You see yourself as overweight because you have been told over and over again that this is just the way it is in your family.
These are just two examples, but perhaps it will help you to recognize what is running as a program in the background because you have heard it over and over again or told yourself so.
So how do you proceed if you want to set yourself a goal or a New Year's resolution?
Let's go back to the pyramid with the 6 levels. Let's proceed like an onion and start with the outermost layer. This is the primary goal, or the top level, the environment.
Below this, on the fifth level, is the behavior. And just as a reminder, this is what most people focus on. I just have to change my behavior and then I will reach my goal without any problems. Anyone who has ever wanted to lose weight is guaranteed to have heard this: all you have to do is eat less and exercise more. Then you'll automatically lose weight. Exactly. That's why it works so well.
So, most people only stick to levels 6 and 5. But let's get to the heart of the matter. Level 4 is where your skills are. What do you need to be able to do in order to change your behavior? If you don't know how to put together a healthy diet or if you can't prepare vegetables in a tasty way, then you won't be able to eat healthily or lose weight.
Level 3 is where your stories are located. Your inner dialog. For example: I used to always have to eat Brussels sprouts and was only allowed to get up from the table when the plate was empty. That's why I hate vegetables.
On level 2 you will find your beliefs, such as healthy eating means doing without, healthy food doesn't taste good and so on.
And on the lowest level, the foundation, this is where your identity is located. For example: I'm just not disciplined. Or I'm just fat, it's in my genes.
What is a good goal anyway?
Let me say a few words about the topic of goals. In all my consultations and online courses, I always make sure that you formulate your goal in such a way that it appeals to you emotionally. Because only if you have a really good goal, a why, will you be motivated to fight your reptilian brain and bring about real change.
To stick with the example of losing weight: simply saying I want to lose 10kg is not at all exciting, motivating or emotional. Instead, you could make the goal: I will wear a beautiful fitted dress to my daughter's wedding and feel light and happy.
If you are planning to join the next round of my Gut Happiness online course, you will also do an exercise with me to find your real reason for wanting to be healthier.
Once you have found this motivating goal with an emotional meaning for you, ask yourself:
- What 3 impactful behaviors would lead me to achieve this goal? This is level 5 of the pyramid.
- The next question, from level 4, is: What skills do you need to be able to perform these behaviors?
- Then ask yourself, level 3, what stories would you tell yourself if you had already achieved your goal? would have. What stories would lead to you experiencing the goal in your life.
- Level 2, What would you believe as someone who has already achieved the goal?
- And finally, ask yourself: What would be your way of being if you already had what you desire.
So basically, it's not about asking yourself: what do I have to do to achieve my goal, but who do I have to be to make it a reality.
Ghandi said:
Be the change you want to see in the world
Why discipline is not the key
So you see, it's about changing your being, your identity, if you want to achieve a change in your external circumstances. And that is precisely why this much-cited discipline that we need is not really the point. Because we can't muster this discipline if we don't have an identity at our core that is conducive to what we want to achieve.
But: if you see discipline as commitment, as sticking with it, then that is definitely a quality that we can use very well at the identity level. We have talked about how our identity is shaped by the stories and beliefs that we have repeated over and over again. And through activities that we have performed over and over again until they have become automatic habits.
And this is exactly how we can change our identity again: through repetition.
And that's why it's worth acquiring new habits that aren't too much of a stretch for you. For example, making the bed every day. Or putting the dishwasher away in the evening. Small things that are quick, but that you really do every day.
Here I'll show you an example of how you can keep track of these habits. You can simply save the image and print it out (right-click and save) or you can transfer a list like this to your agenda.
My goals for 2019
Finally, I'd like to tell you what my goals are for the New Year and give you a little preview of what you can expect from me this year.
Personally, I've called this year my year of self-care. I want to take the best possible care of myself, because I can only be truly useful to those around me (family, friends, customers, listeners, readers) if I'm doing well.
I started this back in December by switching my skincare and make-up products completely to natural cosmetics. I also did a podcast episode with Schareska from Amo Como Soy on the subject of natural cosmetics. In January, I will start another ketogenic phase with a personal nutrition plan from our partner Foodpunk. I would like to lose a little more body fat and prepare myself optimally for a packed year in terms of energy levels. I've also already recorded a podcast episode with Marina from Foodpunk , episode 17.
I'm planning to share a little more about my self-care measures in my free Facebook group and on Instagram, maybe you'd like to join in!
You can find the link to this group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/502317769835023/
And you can find my Instagram profile @juliaelisabethgruber
Professionally, my goal for 2019 is to focus very strongly on the topic of gut happiness.
My vision is to be able to convey to as many people as possible that health is so central to us because we can only really live to our full potential if we are not constantly held back by our body. Energy, a good mood, the ability to concentrate, stamina and a positive outlook are a great basis for being able to optimize all areas of life. Our health is the foundation for this. And health starts in the gut and with our diet.
This is what Gut Happiness stands for and I will be working this year to make this even more visible and tangible.
I will therefore be running my online Gut Happiness course a few times in 2019. The course leads participants to more energy, better digestion and greater well-being in 6 weeks and the next round starts on January 28, 2019.
There will also be a therapist training course to become a gut coach in the middle of the year, which my husband and I will run together with the LCHF Germany Academy.
And I plan to publish more YouTube videos in which I speak plainly and share my experience with nutrition and gut health to encourage even more people to take their health into their own hands.
I have written down here how this is reflected in my Logical Levels, which I talked about today. You can see which skills I need, which stories, beliefs and which identity I need to achieve all of this. Maybe I'll change this over the course of the year, who knows. Nothing is set in stone. But it's always better to write something down and get started than to think about it for too long and do nothing. So, fill yours out too!
This was a pretty personal podcast episode and I'm looking forward to your feedback and what your plans are for the new year. Feel free to leave me a comment below this article and tell me what you thought of the episode. Whether you were able to take something away for yourself or what you have planned for 2019!I look forward to hearing from you again for the next Darmglück podcast episode!
Now I recommend that you subscribe to the podcast so that you don't miss an episode, and if you like what you hear, I would really appreciate a rating on iTunes or Apple Podcast. Because these reviews also help other people find the podcast so we can spread the knowledge about gut and health more.
