What’s holding you back from reaching your health goal? Turning thoughts into action steps.

Jun 4
2 min read

You already know what you should be doing. The better question is: what's stopping you from doing it? This week's blog explores a simple mindset shift that can help you move forward.

Image of a person's shoes as they think about taking action steps to reach health goals

What’s actually holding you back from reaching your health goals?

Seriously. What is it?

We all have goals. Some are huge, long-term dreams. Others are the little promises we make to ourselves like:

Drink more water.

Take that vitamin.

Exercise more (or start).

Relax. Stress less.

Improve blood sugar time in range or A1C.

Finally make that appointment.

Most people already know what they “should” be doing. The harder part is figuring out what keeps getting in the way from taking that action step.

Let’s do a quick exercise together.

Grab a piece of paper (or the notes app on your phone) and think about one health goal you’ve been struggling to move toward.

Got it? Now write down the answer to this question:

What is keeping me from moving closer to this goal?

Don’t overthink it. Just brain dump. Write whatever comes to mind.

You might end up with things like:

“I don’t have time.”
“I’m exhausted after work.”
“I don’t like to cook.”
“Healthy food is expensive.”
“I start strong, then fall off a cliff.”
“I don’t know where to start.”
“I’m taking care of everyone else first.”
“I feel embarrassed about how far off track I’ve gotten.”

Why most health goals fail

Most health goals fail because people try to overhaul their entire life overnight.

That almost never works. Real change usually starts much smaller.

Instead of focusing on the giant end goal, ask yourself:

What is one small action that would move me slightly closer?

Not perfect. Just closer.

Take Action. It's okay if it's small!

Tiny changes sound unimpressive, but they build momentum. Momentum builds confidence. Confidence builds consistency. And consistency matters a whole lot more than perfection.

I see this all the time in healthcare. People think they need more discipline, when what they really need is a realistic plan that actually fits their life. That’s especially true for busy adults juggling work, kids, stress, finances, aging parents, chronic health conditions… honestly, life in general.

You do not need to become a completely different person overnight. You just need a starting point. One action to move you forward instead of keeping you stuck that you could start today.

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Author's Note

This story was written by me, Katlyn Agosta, MSN, APRN, FNP-C, CDCES, nurse practitioner, certified diabetes care and education specialist, and proud Valrico local. I started Papaya Primary Care to make healthcare more personal, accessible, and prevention focused again. My specialty is diabetes care, education, and empowerment from the lens of my own type 1 diabetes experiences.

What’s holding you back from reaching your health goal? Turning thoughts into action steps.