In today’s fast-paced society patience is quickly dissipating.

Consider the meaning of the word, patience: bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint, a habit, slow to anger, steadfast despite opposition, not hasty or impetuous.

For example, when striving for fat loss the first rule is to make changes in your eating habits; however, naturally you’ll expect to see the results of those changes immediately.

You run from the dangerous foods you know that contribute to weight gain and disease (i.e., pastries and processed foods) and reach for real whole foods and smaller, healthier portions. All, while patiently waiting for those pounds to melt off – right?

Wrong! In all my years of helping others, I’ve seen people lose patience (many even giving up) in the first few days of changing their eating habits.

For example in the Extreme Burn Boot Camp program most clients don’t lose weight (on the scale) immediately. In fact, for the first few weeks most will gain a few pounds in lean muscle (i.e. body toning–read your introductory e-mail, titled “What You Don’t Know About Weight Loss” for greater detail on this topic) rather than losing a few pounds in body weight.

Your body may not respond in the way you wish or in the same way or time as your friend, spouse, or weight loss partner. It’s normal that some people respond quickly to changes while for others it takes more time.

Without patience, you might view this as a setback and give up believing that you have failed. Most of the population does this in more areas than just their weight loss; lack of patience will cause people to feel like failures in their careers, within their family, and in their relationships.

Patience allows us to remain calm, and to revisit and review our action plan. Sometimes we simply need to make a few adjustments in our approach or our own thought patterns.

First and foremost, it is critical to stay focused on your long term goals. Your efforts may not be immediately noticeable but you are making an investment in yourself that will pay off for many months if not years to come.

The Patience Principle

Let’s face it, having patience is no small challenge. As we seek to convince, to instruct, and to even correct ourselves and others, we must remember that patience presents us with a critical test of character.

Patience is not indifference; patience conveys the idea of an immensely strong rock withstanding all onslaughts.

Here are 5 steps you can take to become a more patient person not only with your fat loss goals but with your life in general.

• Developing: Patience is a virtue worthy of developing. In the long run, you will find that patience with yourself (and others) is beneficial to you although you may not see a return right away. “You get the chicken by hatching the egg, not smashing it.” ~Arnold Glasgow
• Building: Understand that it takes a depth of time to build patience. The resistance we tend to give will only cause results to be prolonged. We choose our levels of patience and we must make that choice wisely. As we grow in patience, first we will see a blossom, then the green fruit, and finally the matured fruit which will be evident in our lives for the world to see.
• Practice: Each of us thinks our circumstances warrant special consideration – we think up every excuse in the book for ourselves and expect other people to be immensely patient with us. Like a muscle, in order to be stronger or better in patience, we must live it out as much as possible, and in time we’ll acquire more patience. “I am extraordinarily patient, provided I get my own way in the end.” ~ Margaret Thatcher
• Problems: Realize that people have and do create problems. Lighten up on yourself and give yourself the kind of grace you’d like to receive for your shortcomings from others. When you decide to create a new habit, it’s a package deal. You don’t get to not only receive the good stuff but you’ll have to endure to reject the bad stuff that comes into your life.
• Identify: In which areas do you need to exhibit patience, not only with yourself but with someone else too? Your current situation may be, without question, challenging or even intolerable. Write these areas down and create an action plan to overcome.

Are you brave enough to thoroughly evaluate, as honestly as possible, the habits, values and weaknesses that have contributed to your less-than-optimal current condition?

Let’s all challenge ourselves to mature in patience with ourselves and just as equally important to mature in patience with others in our circle of life as they are in turn facing an unknown struggle as well.

A Timeless Principle To Apply to Memory:

No matter what situation we’ve put ourselves in or even what others may do to us, we shall always seek the highest and best good for ourselves and towards others.

You’re not alone in the journey of creating the habit of patience, very few people have an easy time letting go of the habits that got them into their situation.

A change in bad habits takes time, and a strong emotional commitment. Once your newly practiced habits are firmly in place, the process of practicing patience begins with each new day revealing itself to you.

Learn to set realistic goals. For example, with weight loss (i.e., fat loss), I tell clients that even if they’re doing mostly everything right, based on my suggestions, reasonably expect to lose on average about 1% of body fat each week.

Join my growing list of successful clients who have applied the principle and more importantly, they’re keeping off the excess baggage.

To Your Fat Loss & Body Transformation,

Von James is a Hollywood Body Transformation Expert who has helped thousands of women and men over the last 12 years, to build toned, sexy bodies via his Extreme Burn Fitness & Eating Lifestyle System.

*Part of this summary was created from the book ‘Winning With People’ by John C. Maxwell