Can you keep a secret?

One controversy among people trying to achieve personal health goals is whether or not to tell someone else about your goals.

• He says yes.  She agrees.
• She says no.  Here’s how you can keep it a secret.
• Or you can creep on lots of people’s thoughts on the matter

So you can tell anyone or tell no one—  or, there’s a thiiird way (see what I did there?)

Obviously I write about my story on the internet so theoretically anyone can read it.  So you might think that I publicize it regularly.

But I don’t.  At least not in my social sphere.

For example, when I made this site.  I told a handful of friends and my family (plus a cryptic twitter announcement before launch).  That’s it. Why?

• I assume they care.
• I assume they’ll keep me accountable.
• I assume they might get bored and look at these finger paintings read this site.

But I didn’t tell anyone at work.  I don’t talk about it with my casual friends/acquaintances (internet community doesn’t count).  Why?

• ~25 lbs is a nice drop.  But it’s not remarkable on a 300+ lb frame.  50+ lbs is.
• Everyone sounds stupid talking about a diet.  Everyone.
• Everyone thinks their plan is the best.
• Frankly, I want people to notice results—not be forced to notice from my announcement.
• Results are the best argument.  That’s why weigh-ins/measure-ins/performance should make or break your plan.

Plus, the more people you tell about your goals, the more you feel like you’ve accomplished something before you’ve actually accomplished anything—making it even harder to achieve the goals you just announced you were setting out to achieve. It’s true.

It’s okay to read that last sentence again.

So tell those who know and love you—and make the rest ask.

24. January 2013 by chris
Categories: Motivation | 6 comments