Learning from The Biggest Loser

I was sitting at the kitchen table tonight, doing some email while "The Biggest Loser" was on TV. This is only the second time I've ever seen the show, but I was taken with one 200+ pound woman whose trainer had her running at 8.5 on a treadmill, and wouldn't allow her to touch the rails as she did it. She kept saying (crying really), "I can't! I can't!" as she was doing it. The trainer got mad at her and made it her do it again...and again. She kept saying that she couldn't do it, as she was doing it. So finally, he said, "don't ever tell me you can't do it" and let her stop. And if she had realized it, she would have said, "Look, I'm not having any fun here, but fine--I'll do it because I am doing it which obviously means that I can." (and P.S. she lost 5 pounds in a week)

And I started thinking about places or things in my day or week where I say "I can't," when I really mean, "I'd prefer to do something else." But then comes the big question: If I preferred the other, then how come I'm not doing it? If I have to do something I'd prefer not to, then I have a choice: I can do it while saying that I can't or I won't, which is really ridiculous, or I can simply do it and get it done as quickly and simply as possible without the resistance.

Here's what the Energy Lady would say:

"Dear Energy Lady,

I'm getting tired of people telling me what I should or should not do. But a lot of the time, I do what they ask just so I don't have to hear them whine. Any advice? Signed, Tired"

Dear Tired,

Yes. Get an alarm clock and set it for every moment when you hear whining...not from others, but in your own head. As you're doing the thing you're saying you don't want to do, let the bells go off so you can realize that you're already doing it, so why make it harder on yourself? Or--and here's a novel idea--say no or ask someone else to do it who wants to do it. That'll energize everyone!