How Does Failure Affect Permanent Weight Loss?

I was thinking about failure today, and the further I ventured into the topic, I realized that most of my successes are a result of failures. Had I not blown so many diets over the years, I would have missed the opportunity to learn how to love and respect food. Failure taught me to live in harmony with food and to stop using it as a drug. Failure taught me to consistently look within myself to find the answers to my addiction. Constant trial and error evolved into a healthy cycle of failure and growth and failure and growth. . .

The concept of failure is a major contributor to our negative belief systems. We learn early on that to fail is bad. To fail at something is embarrassing, and leaves us wide open for ridicule. I believe that most of the judgment comes from within. Most people admire others for trying.

When struggling to lose weight, many people give up right at the moment of failure. For some, failure means the end. There's no turning back or picking up where they let off. It's final. Our negative beliefs about ourselves play the same old tapes over and over . . . "I'm no good, I'll never succeed, I'm weak . . ."

The problem with this fixed mentality is that it validates those ugly beliefs and strengthens them even more. So, each time we have a setback, we're convinced it's hopeless. We stop trying anything new because we'll inevitably fail.

The real failure is the refusal to learn from our mistakes. Failure comes in many shapes and sizes. And, everyone has a different perspective on what constitutes failure. Some consider having a piece of chocolate cake a failure, especially if they've just started a new diet. I used to. But now I look at it as simply being human. I've learned to choose my words carefully, too. Enjoying one piece of yummy, delicious chocolate cake for a special occasion is, perhaps, a blip, a minor setback, or maybe even a treat, but not a failure.

The concept of failure is just another one of our crappy self-defeating beliefs that we can change over time. Failure is an inevitable part of our growth and success. It's a golden opportunity to move beyond what we know.