As we head into the New Year, I want you to think about your goals. I know this can feel like a cliche thing to do with the arrival of January 1, but I hope this blog post will provide some sort of renewed source of energy and motivation to work towards your goals as the previous year wraps up and comes to an end. 

What would you say are your big rocks for weight loss or changing your mindset? If you are perplexed by this term, let me explain. Big rocks, very simply put, describe your priorities and help you outline desirable action steps. 

Big rocks create a path to change, but not necessarily through the implementation of  “big” goals. Rather big rocks help you to define realistic action steps that are truly going to move the needle when it comes to your body (or mind) and the changes you are seeking. 

If there is one individual at Metabolic Living who can explain this concept well to you, it’s Danny Coleman, our head of coaching. The following is an excerpt from a blog post first published in 2021, and with the New Year quickly approaching, I feel this excerpt is worth a read!

“Imagine you’re walking in nature, intending to fill an empty bucket.

You’d probably begin with 2-3 larger rocks, which would fill about 80% of your bucket. Then you’d fill in the gaps of the large rocks with smaller rocks and pebbles.

You’d then fill those gaps with small grains of sand until you eventually had a full bucket.

This is a great metaphor for body change. Your goals are that empty bucket, and clients who succeed spend most of their energy on the “big rocks,” like improving sleep, reducing stress, increasing movement, or having a diet rich in vegetables.

They don’t spend a lot of time obsessing about the latest fads and trends. They rarely asked about detoxes, intense fasting protocols, or how many grams of sodium they should consume.

They understand that getting 2-3 big things right makes up for missing out on a handful of little things.

The thing about big rocks is that they usually make the “pebbles” and “sand” a lot easier. Charles Duhig, the author of The Power of Habit, writes about Keystone Habits – habits that lead to other habits. For example, when you start exercising, you naturally start eating better, stressing less, and becoming more productive, leading to better work habits and relationships. And on the cycle goes.

A good indication of whether you’re focused on the big rocks or the grains of sand is to think about how many programs/challenges you’ve tried over the past two years. If you’re jumping from Keto to Paleo to the HCG diet to whatever else and are left feeling frustrated or defeated, you’re likely not focused on the big rocks.

Successful clients aren’t attached to novelty and distraction or change for the sake of change. They get the big wins and let the chips fall.”

If you’ve been stagnant with success when it comes to your goals, ask yourself if you’ve been focusing on the big rocks or the small rocks? What have been your distractions when trying to make changes to your mind and body over this last year? What can you do to celebrate big wins while letting other chips fall?

If you’ve been struggling with successfully meeting your goals, I’d encourage you to define your big rocks. Set aside some time to quietly sit, and in the stillness, think of 2 or 3 big rocks you’d like to focus on to help you achieve your goals. Share your big rocks with us, or with your support system, and let’s see if this next year brings about some unexpected shifts in body and mind! 

Photo by Mounzer Awad on Unsplash