What you are now is what you were doing six months ago. What you will be in six months is what you do today.

It’s that time of year again when the kids are going back to school and we’re at the end of the summer holidays. The football season has kicked off again. Right on cue even the weather has changed - Mother Nature letting us know that the seasons are about to shift.

I love this time of year. I guess it wasn’t always that way - I’m sure I didn’t love the end of the school holidays when I had to go back to school! But as I’ve grown older I’ve come to really appreciate it. There’s something I like about the sense of new beginnings at this time of year. In fact, more so than the turn of the calendar year, this time of the year has always represented renewal and change to me.

As I got the train into the office earlier this week I smiled at all the new year seven kids (first year seniors for those of us of a certain vintage), nervous and uncertain, dressed in their oversize, brand new uniforms, being dropped at the station by worried and slightly overbearing parents. I remembered back a few years to when my kids were that age, and to we sent them out to big school all by themselves.

What can change?

That wasn’t so long ago but my life has changed immeasurably since then. I’m fitter, healthier and happier than I’ve ever been. I no longer drink. I prioritise my sleep. I choose to focus on self growth and positivity, rather than selfishness and negativity. And I’m undoubtedly a much more patient, engaged, and supportive father and husband.

But that change didn’t come about overnight. It took effort, graft and commitment over weeks, months and years. And the work is never done. I’m still far from perfect - I make mistakes, I am lazy sometimes, I succumb to eating crap from time to time, I spend far too much time on my phone, I sometimes lose my temper with the kids, I sometimes find an excuse not to go out for that run.

But the point is not to be perfect. Who is? The point is to keep trying to be a better person, and if you’re interested in improving your health and wellbeing, to keep trying to make incremental, positive change in your life.

The key to change

On this theme I heard a quote on the radio this morning which really resonated with me.: “What you are now is what you were doing six months ago. What you will be in six months is what you do today.”

It’s such a powerful thought. I never set out with some big goal or aspiration to change my life. But I knew I wanted to feel different to, and better than, how I was feeling at that point in time - unfit, overweight, hungover, lacking drive and energy.

The key to change was doing little things differently each day, and each of those little things compounding on each other to generate positive and incremental change. Choosing to eat a little bit more healthily, choosing to walk rather than drive somewhere, choosing to spend half an hour in the gym rather than half an hour on the sofa, choosing to meet friends for a coffee rather than a pint.

Where will you be in six months?

For me, September has also always been a point to take stock of where I am in my life - again, that “back to school” / new season vibe. I’ve been spending time thinking about where I want to make some changes in my life. But more importantly, I’ve been thinking about these changes through the lens of what type of person I want to be.

I would encourage you to do the same. Think about the type of person you want to be in six months time. How will you feel? What will give you joy and energy? What will be important to you? How will your health be? How will you look? Write it down. Really think yourself into the future you.

And then spend some time thinking about the things you can do on a day to day basis that will help you be that person. They don’t need to big things. In fact, it’s better if they aren’t. But you do need to be clear how they will help you be the person you want to be. Remind yourself of those things and do them on a daily basis and step by step you will change your life.

It sounds easy, but we all know change is hard. That’s where a good health coach can really help you. Those who have worked with me have described my support as “extremely valuable”, and “game changing”.

Reach out if you think I can help you. And in the meantime, watch this space for some exciting news in the next few weeks about my new men’s group virtual coaching programme, which - rather aptly given its the start of the season - is also linked to football! Intriguing eh?