Whenever we try to change ourselves from the outside in, it never lasts. We lose weight only to gain it back. Or, we might get motivated for a short period of time but it doesn’t sustain itself. We might temporarily change our habits and patterns through self-restraint, but that alone will not keep us on the right path for any considerable length of time.

You see, as long as we’re still the same on the inside, at the level of our thoughts, beliefs, patterns, and emotions, we simply haven’t achieved transformation in the deeper sense.

To get healthy and stay that way, yes, we need to exercise and eat right. But, we often need to work on ourselves beyond the body.

We must examine our limiting beliefs about our body and life. We must change our mindset and heal emotional bumps and bruises that life sometimes brings.

We must hold the intention of making healthy changes inside and out. That’s what works in my opinion, based on years of experience helping people make the transformation from before to after and making it last. The good news is, you can do it! You really can!

The first step of success is that you must see yourself successful before you are. You cannot accomplish anything if you do not see yourself successful. But many people focus on their limitations and not their potential. Change in itself means that we must abandon our old self and begin to speculate who we could be. To change means modifying our behavior enough so that it is permanent. If we are given the proper knowledge, the proper understanding, the proper instruction, we will begin to see measureable feedback.

If we make the effort to sit down and design a new life, and we make it the most important thing and you spend time everyday taking massive action toward its attainment, then, you will see results.

The second step of success: we must surround yourself with people who are successful, who are forward-moving, who are positive, who are focused on producing results, and who support you.

This will expand your vision on what’s possible. This will challenge you to be more, do more, and share more.

Never share your vision with people who do not believe in you. Every time you share your dream with these people, you take life out of your dream. Surround yourself with people who will never let you settle for anything less than all you can be.

The third step of success: You must realize that change is vital. The same kind of thinking that has brought us to where we are will not get us to where we want to go.

Change is our greatest ally. Yet so many people resist change justifying their current strategies to their level of success. Yet an entirely different approach may be required in order to produce a new level of success.

All of us need to expand our view of who we are and what we are capable of. We need to make certain the labels we put on ourselves are not limits but enhancements. I challenge you to step up, to raise the standard, and discover what your are truly capable of.

Josh Miller is a personal trainer and owner of Transformation Personal Training. He has a BS in exercise science. He can be reached at (859) 744-7050 or josh@TransformationPersonalTraining.com.