1. Power of Process
In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna says:
कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि॥
Focus on the process and on your efforts with priority, commitment, and dedication; results will follow.
Enjoying the process not only helps us achieve our goals but also helps us progress beyond them.
E.g. Losing excess body weight can be frustrating. But if someone decides to learn through process, develop, and customize a healthy lifestyle that they enjoy and can follow lifelong; better health can become a sustainable outcome.
2. Power of Environment
Willpower and self-control have a short-term shelf life.
Our environment provides long-term support. Exercising at a gym or with trainer or in a group class can be more effective and progressive than exercising on your own.
A practical way to eliminate an unhealthy habit is to reduce exposure to the triggers that cause it. Similarly, to develop a healthy habit, increase exposure to things that support it.
Examples:
- Leave your phone in another room to avoid unnecessary social media scrolling.
- Remove the TV from the bedroom to limit watching movies at bedtime.
- If you want to drink more water, fill a few water bottles and keep them next to your desk, dining table, and bed.
- Keep a book beside your bed that you can read before going to sleep.
3. Power of Identity / Belief
Identity is about what we believe. Our identity and beliefs shape our habits.
Our habits, in turn, strengthen our identity and beliefs.
Consistency and dedication improve when we focus on who we wish to become rather than what we want to achieve.
E.g.
- Imagine two people resisting the urge to drink alcohol. Who is more likely to succeed?
One says, “No, thanks. I’m trying to quit alcohol.”
The other says, “No, thanks. I don’t drink.”
- The goal is not just to read a book; the goal is to become a reader.
- The goal is not just to follow a diet; the goal is to become a healthy and fit person.
4. Power of Planning
In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna tells Lord Krishna:
चञ्चलं हि मनः कृष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद् दृढम्।
तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम्॥
“The mind is restless, turbulent, strong, and obstinate. I think controlling it is more difficult than stopping the wind.”
To this, Shri Krishna says:
इन्द्रियाणां हि चरतां यन्मनोऽनुविधीयते।
तदस्य हरति प्रज्ञां वायुर्नावमिवाम्भसि॥
यतो यतो निश्चलति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम्।
ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत्॥
व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरुनन्दन।
बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम्॥
Our minds tend to run after the attachments created through our senses.
We must therefore withdraw the mind from them and bring it back under the control of the Self, i.e., the intellect. This is mindfulness.
Planning our work, food intake, exercise, pranayama, and sleep using our intellect helps us control the wandering mind and prevents us from unnecessarily consuming food, scrolling through social media, overworking, and engaging in excessive or repetitive thoughts.
Initially, we may take guidance from the expertise and experience of a coach.
This saves our emotional, mental, and physical energy. As a result, we become more productive and creative in life.
5. Power of Coaching
The famous phrase, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking that created them,” is widely attributed to Albert Einstein.
When we are in doubt, facing challenges, or seeking answers to our questions, it is always better to seek guidance from someone who has studied the respective subject and has more experience in handling similar problems, both their own and those of others.
E.g.
When learning to drive a car or swim, which approach is safer, more time-efficient, and more effective: learning through trial and error on our own or learning from a qualified coach?
Coaches offer us a broader perspective that can extend beyond our own understanding and perceived capabilities.
E.g.
Progress in exercise happens when a personal trainer or Yogasan teacher introduces different squat alignments or trains us to perform squats with additional weight. We might never discover these possibilities without practising under their supervision.
In the era of social media, algorithms get to know our concerns and influence us with all kinds of worldly expectations and proposed solutions.
For example, when trying to lose weight, we often experiment with different diets and products. But when we don't see the expected results, we lose hope and begin to feel inferior. A coach, however, helps us set the right goals, follow the right process, and develop realistic expectations.
The Bhagavad Gita itself is a profound example of coaching—a journey from confusion to clarity, guided by wisdom, dialogue, and self-realisation.
6. Power of Association
“Let’s join a dance class!” “Let’s go clubbing!” “Let’s have one more peg!” “Let’s do one more set of push-ups!”
The difference between these varied choices lies in our associations.
Our income closely mirrors the average earnings and financial habits of the five people we spend the most time with. This concept was popularized by entrepreneur Jim Rohn.
Let’s Understand Human Behavior-
One of our deepestdesires is to 'belong'. Habits are not innate; we learn them by imitation.
Our inner circle sets the baseline for our behavior and habits. The people around us either uplift our energy or drain it.
One of the most effective ways to build better habits is to join a culture where our desired behaviors are the norm. Our identity becomes linked to the people around us. Once we feel that we belong, we begin looking for ways to stand out.
Many of our daily habits are imitations of people we admire. We are drawn to behaviors that earn us respect, approval, and status.
Let’s Apply This to Building Healthy Habits-
For example, most of us feel out of place the first time we go to the exercise class/ gym. However, once we become familiar with the people who already work out there, exercising starts to feel normal.
We then aspire to become someone who can perform progressively challenging workouts to stand out. We continue working-out because it becomes part of our identity and because we want to maintain our sense of belonging.
The people we associate with influence the habits we develop, the standards we set, and ultimately, the person we become.
7. Power of Decision-Making
One person wishes to have a fit body, while another decides to build one. Who will eventually achieve a fit body?
Our present life is the result of the compounding effect of our past decisions.
Every decision has consequences and either takes us closer to our desired lifestyle or moves us further away from it.
Not making a decision is also a decision. Every small action we take is guided by a series of small decisions.
We cannot live a healthy life if we fail to make decisions that support the choices required to achieve it.
E.g.
We wish to start going for a morning walk. But when the alarm rings, we decide to skip the walk and continue sleeping.
These repeated decisions gradually manifest as traits of laziness and ignorance, which further influence us to make choices that lead to an unhealthy lifestyle.
Our intellect, or Buddhi, plays a vital role in decision-making. To control our wandering mind, our power of decision-making—that is, our Buddhi—needs to be stronger.
How to Improve Our Decision-Making-
-Become aware of our values, beliefs, and identity.
-Choose supportive associations and environments.
-Meditation helps strengthen our Buddhi and mindfulness, thereby enabling us to make better decisions.
-A lack of knowledge can also challenge our decision-making. Impaired feelings and emotions can cloud our judgment and weaken our ability to make sound decisions. Therefore, we should acquire knowledge from the right sources or seek guidance through coaching for our holistic well-being.
Our lifestyle is not shaped by our wishes alone, but by the decisions we consistently make.
8.Power of Acceptance and Affirmation
Suppose our spouse, a friend, or a family member constantly taunts or humiliates us about our appearance or eating habits. How would our relationship be affected? What kind of emotional energy would we be exchanging?
The same thing happens when we treat our own bodies this way.
Our body is a powerhouse of emotions, and every cell is sensitive to the emotions we experience.
When we make negative remarks about our bodies, such as, “I don't like my arms; they are too fat,” “My abdominal bulge looks very ugly,” “I'm too skinny; I look undernourished,” or “I'm a bhukkad” or “I'm a fussy eater,” we create an emotional environment filled with shame, guilt, and disgust.
Taking positive action while experiencing such negative emotions is neither sustainable nor effective. In fact, prolonged negative emotions can adversely affect our overall well-being and may contribute to various health issues.
Now, consider the opposite situation. What if our spouse, friends, or family members appreciated our appearance, admired our personality, or simply accepted us as we are?
We would feel loved, safe, supported, and uplifted.
With this positive emotional energy, we naturally feel motivated to take better care of ourselves and strive for improvement. Change and progress begin to happen more naturally, easily, and joyfully.
The same principle applies when we accept ourselves and our bodies while embracing a healthy lifestyle to improve our health and fitness. The entire process becomes more joyful and sustainable.
Positive Statements (Affirmations) for Our Body and Fitness Journey
- I love and accept my body.
- I am blessed with a healthy body and a healthy mind.
- I choose foods that nourish my body.
- Exercise is my way of showing respect and gratitude towards my body.
9. Power of Bouncing Back
"कभी-कभी जीतने के लिए कुछ हारना भी पड़ता है... और हार कर जीतने वाले को बाज़ीगर कहते हैं।"
— A famous Bollywood dialogue.
Think of the people we admire—those who have achieved great things. They were not born extraordinary; they became extraordinary by navigating difficult circumstances.
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary people lies in what they do and how they think when they face tragedy, failure, rejection, or disappointment.
Better questions to ask ourselves are:
- What am I learning from this?
- How will this make me stronger?
Examples:
1. When life gets busy
We may start exercising regularly, but after a few days or weeks, our working hours may change, work responsibilities may increase, or family circumstances may present unexpected challenges. Most of us then skip or quit exercising.
Our momentum breaks, our habits weaken, and we struggle to resume.
However, if we learn to bounce back by continuing to exercise for just a few minutes every day or a few hours each week, we can maintain our momentum and keep our habits alive.
2. When health challenges interrupt our progress
We may have been exercising regularly and eating well, but sometimes we experience musculoskeletal pain, an injury, or a sudden illness that makes us feel disappointed or as though we have failed.
We may experience similar feelings when our circumstances prevent us from remaining consistent or when we don't see the results we expected.
We then choose to give up on healthy eating or exercise.
At such times, we need to pause and ask ourselves:
- Am I giving my best to the process? Am I doing this correctly?
- Do I need to reassess my priorities?
- Should I revisit my purpose?
- What strategy and mindset can help me get back on track?
Discuss your challenges and expectations with your coach to find a way forward.
Remember: Bouncing back is not about being perfect or never falling behind. It is about learning, adapting, and finding the strength to begin again, no matter how many times life interrupts our journey.
