Obtaining optimal overall health is often times viewed as this colossal mountain we have to climb and we begin to ask ourselves whether or not our efforts are realistic. “I want to lose 20 pounds, is that realistic? I want to run a 5K in 6 months, is that realistic?” Instead of asking ourselves if our desire to achieve health and wellness is realistic, maybe we should consider the following statement:

“Being realistic is the most traveled road to mediocrity.” – Will Smith

The first step in making any change is to tell yourself that you can. That’s the first step towards achieving anything….a promotion, a new house, a new car…you find that goal and put all of your focus into that goal. You will do whatever it takes to obtain it, never asking yourself if it is realistic or not. If you want it (whatever that ‘it’ might be) then you go for it….and your realistic approach to it is blinded by your desire and ambition to achieve it.

As far as the mountain you have to climb? I found another great quote that fits this challenge quite well.

“You don’t try to build a wall. You don’t set out and say ‘I’m gonna build the biggest, baddest, greatest wall that has ever been built’. You say ‘I’m going to lay this brick as perfectly as a brick can be laid’. You do this every single day, and soon you have a wall.”- Will Smith

The quest to lose weight, control blood sugar, control blood pressure or improve cholesterol is daunting if it is analyzed by the end result. When we were babies, we learned how to sit up, roll over, crawl…and then we walked. We were not born with the abilities to ride a bike. We learned how to do that. We built the strength and coordination to accomplish that task. Changing your lifestyle, which will enable you to control the things I mentioned before is done one brick at a time…one day at a time…until you achieve that goal.

First…say you can.

Then, start laying bricks. Every day lay the brick perfectly. Do it well, with focus and determination. Eventually, you have a wall. Remain consistent in the process, and your wall can withstand any element it encounters. It may take months or years. In the end, you will have achieved what others said was impossible. You will have done so, not asking whether or not it was realistic, but by changing your dedication and focus towards achieving your goal; one brick at a time, one day at a time, one person at a time. In the end, we all have the power to change the world. Change ourselves and then help other people change. If you are not helping someone else make their lives better, then you are wasting your time.