How to Control & Motivate Your Inner Elephant

have you ever wondered why you do things even when you know that you should do something differently?

You are going to take a new start towards a healthy routine. You are all set and excited about this new change. You even pictured how your life would be with this new healthy change. But what's next?

After a few weeks, you are back to your normal routine. Next to the plate of nuggets, saying, "A few nuggets won't affect my training that much". Why's that?

That's because the unconscious side of our mind, which most of us are unaware of, just wants us to be comforted. And whenever we are trying to do anything other than normal, it will fight us.

Think of our brain as divided into two parts. The one part is a rider, the part that is in charge and uses reason and logic to make decisions. But this rider is placed on the elephant, the emotional, other part of our brain. This part can be automatically driven by intuitions, emotions and habits.

Inner Elephant Vs. Rider

You must think that the rider has all the control; after all, it has reins and can see the path clearly to tell the elephant where they should go. But unfortunately, that's not the case. It's the elephant that has the power. If it doesn't want to move or go to that certain place, what can a rider do?

Why does the elephant have all the power? Well, That's because it's our emotions. And we usually allow our emotions to take the first step, giving our inner elephant more power and control.

Yes, the rider is our rational side, which is making all the decisions that need to be made. From going to the gym regularly to choosing healthy food over your favorite cheeseburger, the rider derives self-control, all you need to win the game.

But the rider can't do anything if it can't hold that uncontrolled inner elephant. That big inner elephant has the power to make you make some unhealthy decisions like storm eating and undisciplined food choices, which you may regret later. So, it is very important to take that elephant in control.

Would that big elephant be in control somehow? Yes, it can. And that's through planning.

Have a plan, and make yourself commit to it properly. Pay for the gym classes so you don't avoid them. Make a list of food you eat and stick it to your fridge, your kitchen, and your room, so whenever you are trying to eat, you know what to eat.

But if someday the plan doesn't work, don't blame yourself. Motivation is not something that remains constant. It has its ups and downs. Just remember that it is ok, and you can get back to your routine.

How to Control Your Inner Elephant

All you have to do is to motivate that inner elephant to move so that you can achieve your goals. But how can you do that? Well, here are a few tricks through which you can keep your inner elephant in check:

1. Set Realistic Goals: Having unrealistic goals can result in making your inner elephant angry and stressed. So try to set small and realistic goals which can make your inner elephant feel a sense of accomplishment and stay motivated.
   

2. Take a Break: You don't always need to push yourself. If you can't make it to the gym today, it does not mean that you have to do double workouts the next morning. You will only end up getting your inner elephant burned out, which will result in some emotional decisions which you may regret later.
   

3. Don't Fight the inner elephant: Saying "no" to everything is not always necessary. No doubt you have the self-control to avoid that big hamburger your friends are eating or push yourself to the gym every day. But let your emotions win sometimes. Take a break, give yourself a day off and eat what you like. So that your inner elephant can be relaxed and happy.
   

4. Be Mindful: No doubt, mindfulness is the key to achieving any goal. If you are not aware of what you are doing, if it goes wrong, you won't be able to fix it as well. Be aware of your weaknesses and your surroundings. If you don't feel like going to the gym after the office, start going in the morning. Moreover, keep yourself around healthy food. Keep your fuel food in the kitchen , so whenever you are looking for a snack, you can grab something healthy from your kitchen counter.
   

5. Avoid Decision Fatigue: The more decisions you make, the more chances you are giving to your inner elephant to make bad decisions for you. Plan ahead and avoid making small decisions throughout the day to avoid decision fatigue. For example, you can plan a healthy breakfast the night before, so you won't have to make decisions in the morning, allowing you to store some energy and make better important decisions afterwards.
   

6. Don't Over-correct: If you eat that extra slice of pizza, don't starve yourself your next meal. Being too hard on yourself will only cause the elephant to run rampant.

Now that you know how to help your rider and take control of that inner elephant. Stop wasting time. The sooner you take action, the sooner you achieve your goals. All you have to do is to keep the rider going to keep that inner elephant motivated and happy.