Be willing to do what you don’t want to do

Why is it that the enjoyable things in life and the things we should do in life seem worlds apart? Why can’t eating bacon cheeseburgers be healthy? Why doesn’t broccoli taste better if it is healthy for us?

It isn’t only food. Why isn’t sitting around relaxing better for our health? Instead, we have to work hard physically. We have to sweat. We have to breathe hard.

Why can’t learning in school be fun? Why does it feel like work to memorize the terms, solve the equations, and complete the assignments?

Mark Twain knew this when he said, “The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don’t want, drink what you don’t like, and do what you’d rather not.”

There is truth to that statement. Sure, there are people that hate bacon and love broccoli. Some people wake up early in the morning with energy and motivation to run a few miles.

If we all have to do the things we don’t want to do to be healthy and successful, how can we do that without being miserable all the time?

First, we should look at these things habitually. We can’t expect constant struggle and willpower to work. We need to build the right habits that will take us there and make it automatic.

Second, we must change what we place value on. Instead of valuing the high calorie, delicious meal, we should see food as fuel for our body. We have to learn to enjoy those things that are good for us.

If you told me when I was a child that I would grow to love broccoli, I would have told you that you are crazy. But that is what happened.

About 15 years ago, I found myself completely a mess. I was overweight. I didn’t exercise. I ate junk food constantly. Every meal contained the foods that we all know we should avoid – burgers, fries, fried chicken, cookies, cheese, bacon etc.

I knew I had to change but failed so many times that I didn’t know what to do. So, I thought about healthy food and what I liked. I realized I hated salads. Forcing salads down my throat would be impossible.

I also disliked fruit. I have allergies and many fruits upset my digestive system. I am allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. I hated the texture of oatmeal.

I realized that there were a few healthy items that I didn’t hate. Broccoli was one of them. So, I started to eat more broccoli. At first, I had to cover it with cheese, butter, or salad dressing. But over time I started to use less of the flavor I used to cover broccoli.

I had noticed how much I incorporated broccoli into my daily routines about 10 years after I began this new habit. I witnessed my daughters following a similar path. We would ask what veggie they wanted for dinner, and they pick broccoli most often.

They don’t fight us to eat it. They enjoy it and know that it is a healthy food that they like. They have seen me eat it for years without grumbling. Instead, I find new ways to cook it and season it to make even more enjoyable.

When I started eating broccoli, I also knew I needed to exercise. But I hated to run. I hated to lift weights. I hated to do pushups or sit-ups. I hated to play basketball or racquetball.

Finally, I thought about riding a bicycle. At that point it was probably 9 years since I rode a bike. I didn’t own one.

So, I found an old bike nobody wanted and started to ride. I instantly found it pleasant and enjoyable. I wasn’t riding like I was in a race. I wasn’t even riding in the street. I was taking a stroll through the neighborhood on the sidewalks.

When I rode for the first time and realized it was an hour and I was covered in sweat, I knew I had figured something out. I started to ride my bike regularly and even switched to an exercise bike when the snow and ice made it too dangerous to ride outside.

I was able to completely change the trajectory for my life. I changed from gaining 5 lbs. per year to losing 2 lbs. a year. This gave me the physical capability to do more exercise, so I started to find other activities I enjoyed and then turn those into new habits.

By looking at it habitually and then working to value the good activities over the pleasurable activities, I was able to follow Twain’s advice without being unhappy. It allowed me to make the necessary adjustments to become healthy.

My mindset improved also. I started to be happier and more relaxed. I realized I now had the ability to reach the goals I set without being miserable while doing it.

If there are areas of your life where there is a disconnect between what you know you should do and what you are doing, follow these 2 steps. Look at it habitually and find a way to change what you place value on. It can change the trajectory of your health, your relationships, your career and almost any other important area of your life.