What if the reason you keep starting over has nothing to do with your discipline and everything to do with the way you set your goals?
In this episode, I break down the subtle moment most people don’t even notice, the moment your brain decides the work is done. And it’s exactly why results don’t last, habits fall off, and you find yourself right back where you started.
Why Your Brain Stops Working After You Hit a Goal
Our minds are designed to complete tasks.
Think about things like:
- filing your taxes
- finishing a project
- publishing something you’ve been working on
The moment it’s done… you stop.
And the same thing happens with weight loss.
If your goal is “I want to lose 20 pounds”
The moment you hit that number, your brain says “We’re done.”
And that’s where the cycle begins again.
The Hidden Problem with Outcome-Based Goals
When your goals are focused on outcomes, they come with an endpoint.
And once that endpoint is reached:
- your consistency fades
- your habits loosen
- your identity doesn’t actually change
This is why results don’t last.
Because the goal was never designed to.
The Shift That Changes Everything: Identity
Instead of focusing on what you want to achieve, I invite you to focus on who you want to become.
Instead of “I want to lose 20 pounds”.
Shift to “I am becoming the person who lives like someone 20 pounds lighter.”
Now your focus shifts to:
- your daily habits
- your routines
- your energy
- your lifestyle
And that doesn’t end.
Why I Don’t Start with the Scale
This is why I often ask my clients not to weigh themselves in the beginning.
Because the scale creates emotional reactions:
When it goes down:
- “It’s working!”
- “I deserve a reward”
When it goes up:
- “It’s not working”
- “What’s the point?”
And in both cases, the behavior stays the same.
The Dopamine Trap of Progress
There’s another layer most people don’t realize.
When you:
- share your progress
- get compliments
- hear “you look amazing”
You get a dopamine hit.
And your brain interprets that as “We already got the reward.”
So you unconsciously:
- slow down
- reward yourself in ways that don’t serve you
- stop doing what actually created the change
This Isn’t Something You Finish
This work isn’t about completing something.
There is no finish line.
Because real change is:
- something you live
- something you embody
- something you continue
It’s not about hitting a number.
It’s about becoming someone new.
Download my free guide, Calm the Craving: 7 Steps to Break Emotional and Binge Eating, and finally end the cycle of out-of-control eating: www.sherryshaban.com
Work With Sherry Shaban:
Book your FREE 30-minute Food Freedom Call and start your journey to lasting change! www.sherryshabanfitness.com/clarity
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