Trust me. . .it works

Did I ever mention I’m a lifetime, card-carrying member of Weight Watchers™?  Probably not.  It’s not the type of thing I bring up on a regular basis.  Not very interesting really. 

Except I learned a fabulous business lesson there.

A Weight Watcher™ instructor said something to me that I pass along to you.  It’s helped in my never-ending journey to develop the skills to get things done. 

I’d gone one Saturday morning to weigh in and sit through the morning class.  If you've ever been to a Weight Watcher™ meeting you know this drill.  The key, of course is you want to register a weight loss, so you’re stripped down to almost your bra and panties and a pair of flip-flops, acting as if this is normal behavior for an adult woman.  There you stand online, patiently/nervously waiting your turn to be weighed.   It’s like a butcher shop; except the pound of flesh that’s on the scale just happens to be yours. 

Anyway at this particular weigh-in things didn't go my way.  The scale didn't go down; actually I think I’d gained a pound.  This was very crazy-making for me because the week prior to the weigh-in I’d done that obsessive thing I’m known for, following the program to the letter.  Never once did I substitute a fruit for a vegetable or drink an iced tea and call it part of my water count.  And yet I had gained. 

Indignant and beyond conciliation I told my instructor how utterly disappointed I was.  Dramatically I poured out my chubby little heart pondering the point of going on if this was what I could expect. 

Calmly she said, “Penny do you believe the program works?  Do you accept as true the Weight Watcher program?” 

“Yes,” I whispered. 

“Alright then,” she said.  So we’re not going to question our overall strategy for weight loss.  We’re going to look at your food journal from last week and see if we need to tweak something to give you a better result next week.  

And there you have it; the crazy-fabulous business lesson.

Believe in your strategy. 

Don’t shift the strategy just because you've had a bad day, week or month.  Don’t throw the strategy away because it feels harder than you thought it would.  Don’t become defeated because actually doing the strategy is harder than writing the strategy.   

Tweak.  Adjust.  Fine-tune.  Amend.  But stay the course. 

Do you remember I said I’m a lifetime member of Weight Watchers™?  You become a lifetime member by reaching your goal weight.

The program works.   And so does your business strategy.